Is Boston College or Tufts harder to get into?

Tufts is harder to get into than Boston College. Tufts's 9.5% acceptance rate is lower than Boston College's 16.4%.

Which is cheaper, Boston College or Tufts?

Tufts costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Tufts's average net price is $39,998 vs $41,704 at Boston College.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Boston College or Tufts?

Boston College graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $103,937 at Boston College and $83,214 at Tufts.

Boston College vs. Tufts: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Boston College	Tufts
Acceptance rate	16.4%	9.5%
SAT mid-50%	1440–1540	1490–1550
ACT mid-50%	33–35	33–35
Cost of attendance	$89,493	$89,464
Avg net price (after aid)	$41,704	$39,998
Undergrad enrollment	10,085	6,826
6-yr graduation rate	90.8%	93.5%
Median earnings (10yr)	$103,937	$83,214
Setting	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts	Medford, Massachusetts

The Real Differences

Tufts is meaningfully harder to get into. A 6.9-percentage-point gap between 16.4% (Boston College) and 9.5% (Tufts) reflects real selectivity differences. Boston College is the more realistic target for a balanced college list.

Net cost is essentially the same at both schools after grants and scholarships, despite different sticker prices. Both schools meet most demonstrated need for in-range income brackets.

Boston College graduates earn $20,723 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Tufts grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Tufts has a more international student body (12.6% non-resident students vs 6.5%). For applicants who value global exposure or have international academic interests, that mix shows up in classroom culture and alumni network.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. Boston College is 52.2% women, 6.5% international, and 11.1% Asian-American. Tufts is 56.5% women, 12.6% international, and 16.8% Asian-American.

Demographic	Boston College	Tufts
Women	52.2%	56.5%
International	6.5%	12.6%
White	56.6%	40.6%
Asian	11.1%	16.8%
Hispanic	13.0%	10.1%
Black	5.3%	6.1%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Boston College vs. Tufts?

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The Verdict

Pick Boston College if

Your odds are realistic at Boston College (slightly easier admit)
Higher median post-grad earnings ($103,937 vs $83,214)
its Jesuit mission

Pick Tufts if

Net price matters: Tufts costs $1,706 less per year on average
Higher 6-year graduation rate
the Fletcher School ties

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

Boston College

16.4% accept · Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Full profile

Tufts University

9.5% accept · Medford, Massachusetts

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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Boston College vs. Tufts University