At $26,996/yr net price, Boston University graduates earn $83,238/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $49,238/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $26,996 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $107,984 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $83,238/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$49,238/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 2.2 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 90.0% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $23,250 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $11,453/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,167/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,639/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,501/yr |
| $110,001+ | $48,018/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences. | Certificate | $190,536 | |
| Dentistry. | Doctoral | $125,611 | $310,944 |
| Computer Science. | Master | $110,878 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master | $106,688 | $47,962 |
| Computer Engineering. | Master | $106,421 | |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | Master | $106,421 | $36,916 |
| Information Science/Studies. | Master | $102,306 | $31,165 |
| Insurance. | Master | $97,959 | |
| Applied Mathematics. | Master | $97,071 | |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies. | Master | $96,829 | $61,150 |
The Risk Factor
90.0% of students at Boston University graduate within 6 years. Most students who start here finish their degree.
Analysis
Boston University gives you a solid financial return with a big caveat: your family income decides everything. The median graduate earns $83,238 ten years out while carrying $23,250 in debt, so the typical borrower clears their loan balance in roughly a quarter of one year's pay. That is a healthy ratio for a private school in a high-cost city, and BU's 90% grad rate and 94.5% retention mean you are likely to finish and start earning.
Engineering and computing are where the money is. Computer Science bachelor's grads pull $84,994, computer engineering $82,440, and even the lowest-earning tracked program, biomedical engineering at $67,660, beats most liberal arts outcomes. Debt across these majors sits in a tight $23k-$27k band, so the payoff scales with the salary. Boston's tech, biotech, and hospital sector gives these grads a local market that hires. The tracked programs are all engineering and CS, so if you are heading into humanities, arts, or social sciences, assume your earnings land below the $83k median and budget accordingly.
The real risk is the sticker price. If your family earns over $110k, you pay $48,018 per year, close to $192k over four years. At that price a lower-earning major turns into a decade of tight budgets. The published $26,996 net price is misleading for you because it blends in heavily subsidized lower-income students.
Here is the income breakdown. Earn under $48k and you pay around $11,200 a year, which makes BU one of the better deals available to you. From $48k to $75k it stays reasonable at $13,639. Above $75k the price jumps hard, and above $110k you pay nearly full freight. BU is a strong buy for lower-income engineering and CS students, and a serious math problem for high-income families chasing lower-paying majors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boston University worth the high cost of attendance?
Boston University graduates earn $83,238 annually after 10 years, which is solid but not exceptional for the net price of $27,000 per year. The value depends heavily on your program choice, with computer science and business majors seeing strong returns while other fields may struggle to justify the cost.
What Boston University majors have the best return on investment?
Dentistry leads with $125,611 in median earnings, followed by computer science at $110,878 and business administration at $106,688. These programs can justify the tuition costs, while humanities and social science majors typically see weaker financial returns.
How much debt do Boston University students graduate with?
The median debt load is $23,250, which is manageable compared to many private universities. With a 90% graduation rate, most students complete their degrees, though this debt level still requires careful consideration of your intended major's earning potential.
Does Boston University provide enough financial aid to make it affordable?
The average net price of $27,000 represents significant financial aid from the sticker price, but this still puts BU in the expensive category for most families. Middle-class students often find themselves in a difficult position with limited aid despite the high costs.