Boston University, BU, is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Although chartered by the Massachusetts Legislature in the year 1869, BU traces its roots to the establishment of the Newbury Biblical Institute in Newbury, Vermont in 1839.
BU boasts of nearly 4,000 faculty members and more than 30,000 students. It is the fourth largest private university in the country and the fourth largest employer in the city. BU has two campuses. The main campus is situated along the Charles River in Boston's Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood and the second one is in Boston's South End neighborhood. BU offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees through 18 schools and colleges.
The sports team of BU is nicknamed the Terriers. Some of the famous graduates of the University are Tom Fielder, the Executive Editor of the Miami Herald, Ethan Forman, 2003 Pulitzer Prize winner, and Daniel Goodrich, the photographer of Newsday.

The school has a greater breadth of degree programs (majors) than most colleges of its size. BU is known for its programs in science and media.
Admission at the school is selective, not open to all who apply. Three quarters of students in 2007 had SAT verbal scores of at least 580. Half of math SAT scores of accepted students fell between 600 and 690. Many applicants are from out of state, an indication of the quality or special character of the school.
BU has a tenure system for senior faculty. The full-time faculty at the school is well-paid, which often goes with faculty quality.
In 2007, BU had 32,053 students enrolled (28,203 full-time equivalent).
Full-time students are the norm at the school. BU offers dorm rooms to a higher percentage of its students than do most colleges. The school values student athletics, and belongs to the America East.
More complete details are provided below.
Boston University
One Sherborn St.
Boston, MA 02215
General Phone: (617) 353-2000
http://www.bu.edu
| General Category | Degrees | Most Common Majors [see all] |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts | 1,293 | international relations, economics, English, political science, history, sociology, interdisciplinary studies, social services, ... |
| Business And Management | 1,199 | business management, business administration, MIS, insurance, financial planning, actuarial science, human resources, banking, ... |
| Media | 806 | communication studies, journalism, radio and television, advertising, public relations, broadcast journalism, journalism courses, health communication |
| Science | 696 | biology, biological and biomedical sciences, epidemiology, biochem/biophysics/molecular biology, chemistry, physics, bioinformatics, neurobiology, ... |
| Therapy And Counseling | 619 | psychology, physical therapy, clinical psychology, maternal and child health, genetic counseling, counseling psychology |
| Law | 543 | law, foreign lawyers, tax law, banking and finance, legal assistant, legal research |
| Medicine | 468 | dentistry, medicine, neuroscience, pre-med, health professions, endodontology, prosthodontics, advanced general dentistry, ... |
| Education And Teaching | 430 | elementary school teaching, music teaching, school counseling, English teaching, educational administration, math teaching, social studies teaching, special ed, ... |
| Engineering | 381 | electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, manufacturing engineering, archeology, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, engineering, ... |
| Computer Science And Engineering | 361 | information science, computer science, software engineering, computer networking, computer engineering |
| Nutrition And Exercise Therapy | 269 | rehabilitation, occupational therapy, nutrition sciences, athletic trainer, kinesiotherapy, vocational counseling |
| Security And Law Enforcement | 248 | criminal justice and safety, criminal justice and administration |
| Religion And Philosophy | 177 | philosophy, religion, ministry, theology, bible studies, religious music, pastoral counseling and ministries |
| Medical Administration | 167 | health care administration, environmental health |
| Family And Social Work | 151 | social work, public administration |
| Mathematics | 118 | mathematics, mathematics and statistics, systems science and theory |
| Music | 112 | music performance, violin, guitar, and strings, voice, piano, music theory and composition, conducting, music, music history and theory, ... |
| Medical Support And Technology | 105 | audiology and speech pathology, health service and sciences, medical lab tech, audiology, dental assistant, dental lab tech |
| Hospitality | 102 | hospitality management |
| Fine Arts | 96 | art history and criticism, painting, sculpture |
| Drama And Performing Arts | 61 | acting, drama, theatre design, directing |
| Art Studies | 37 | arts management, visual and performing arts |
| Design | 34 | graphic design |
| Photography And Commercial Art | 31 | cinematography |
| Architecture And Planning | 9 | urban planning |
| Cooking And Culinary Arts | 5 | culinary arts services |
Number of programs and degrees for BU in 2007:
| Degree Level | Total Awarded | Number of Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 3,883 | 111 |
| Master's degree | 3,313 | 163 |
| First-professional degree | 695 | 4 |
| Doctor's degree | 540 | 90 |
| Post-master's certificate | 56 | 35 |
| First-professional certificate | 24 | 12 |
| Postbaccalaureate certificate | 7 | 27 |
| Associate's degree | 0 | 5 |
In 2007, BU had a total enrollment of 32,053 students (28,203 full-time equivalent).
Students in the Freshman Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Men | 38% |
| Women | 62% |
| Full-Time | 100% |
| Part-Time | 0% |
Students By Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 59% |
| Graduate | 35% |
| First Professional | 6% |
| Race | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 42% |
| Black | 3% |
| Hispanic | 4% |
| Asian | 8% |
| American Indian | 0% |
| Unknown | 26% |
| (Foreign Students) | 17% |
Students by Age:
| Age | Percent |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1% |
| 18-19 | 22% |
| 20-21 | 26% |
| 22-24 | 16% |
| 25-29 | 18% |
| 30-34 | 8% |
| 35-39 | 4% |
| 40-49 | 4% |
| 50-64 | 2% |
| 65+ | 0% |
Retention Rates (2007):
| Group | Returning From Previous Year |
|---|---|
| Full-Time | 91 % |
BU offers campus housing for 10,622 of its 28,203 (full-time) students.
(Please refer to our profile of Boston, Massachusetts for details about the area surrounding the campus. Also see our list of other Massachusetts Colleges).
The school does not offer students a meal plan.
Acceptances:
| Group | Applicants | Accepted | Percent Accepted | Enrolled | Percent of Accepted Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 31,851 | 18,578 | 58% | 4,124 | 22% |
| Men | 12,987 | 7,304 | 56% | 1,549 | 21% |
| Women | 18,864 | 11,274 | 60% | 2,575 | 23% |
Standardized Test Scores:
| Test | 25th Percentile | 75th Percetile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Verbal | 580 | 680 |
| SAT Math | 600 | 690 |
| SAT Writing | 590 | 690 |
| ACT Verbal | 25 | 31 |
| ACT Math | 25 | 29 |
| ACT Composite | 25 | 29 |
Application Requirements:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| GPA | required |
| Class Rank | required |
| High School Record | required |
| College Prep Program | required |
| Recommendations | required |
| Formal Demonstration of Competence | required |
| Standardized Tests (SAT and/or ACT) | required |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting SAT | 92% |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting ACT | 28% |
| TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) | required |
Expenses and Financial Aid:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $ 35,418 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $ 35,418 |
| Room and board | $ 10,950 |
| Room charge | $ 7,100 |
| Board (meal plan) charge | $ 3,850 |
| Books and supplies | $ 840 |
| Other expenses | $ 1,692 |
Financial Aid:
BU participates in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. (The school's OPE ID is 213000)
BU has a tenure system for faculty.
Tenure Status of Faculty (2007):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Tenured | 489 | 143 |
| Non-tenured, but on tenure track | 115 | 79 |
| Non-tenured and not on tenure track | 959 | 739 |
Salaries for full-time faculty:
Full-Time Faculty (2007):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | calendar year | 57 | $160,253 | 16 | $142,789 |
| Associate professor | calendar year | 39 | $118,002 | 37 | $109,281 |
| Assistant professor | calendar year | 37 | $91,604 | 42 | $85,814 |
| Instructor | calendar year | 4 | $53,225 | 14 | $57,271 |
| Lecturer | calendar year | 2 | * | 1 | * |
| No academic rank | calendar year | 3 | $92,800 | 6 | $85,003 |
| All faculty total | calendar year | 142 | $124,569 | 116 | $97,397 |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
Full-Time Faculty (2007):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | academic year | 371 | $129,544 | 82 | $115,816 |
| Associate professor | academic year | 224 | $87,917 | 126 | $78,183 |
| Assistant professor | academic year | 175 | $73,129 | 129 | $67,348 |
| Instructor | academic year | 14 | $49,893 | 14 | $49,514 |
| Lecturer | academic year | 50 | $47,036 | 60 | $42,994 |
| No academic rank | academic year | 6 | $69,450 | 1 | * |
| All faculty total | academic year | 840 | $100,022 | 412 | $76,148 |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
Athletic Conferences:
| Sport | Conference |
|---|---|
| Basketball | America East |
| Track | America East |
Students on Athletic Scholarships (2007):
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 99 | 162 | 261 |
| Track | 15 | 21 | 36 |
| Basketball | 13 | 13 | 26 |
| All Other Sports | 71 | 128 | 199 |
ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
ART STUDIES
Arts Management
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Accounting
Actuarial Science
Banking and Financial Support Services
Business Administration and Management, General
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other
Business, Management, Marketing & Related Support Services, Other
Financial Planning and Services
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
Insurance
International Marketing
Management Information Systems, General
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Computer Engineering, General
Computer Science
Computer Software Engineering
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
Information Science/Studies
COOKING AND CULINARY ARTS
Culinary Arts and Related Services, Other
DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS
Acting
Directing and Theatrical Production
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
EDUCATION AND TEACHING
Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching
Art Teacher Education
Bilingual and Multilingual Education
Chemistry Teacher Education
Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
Curriculum and Instruction
Drama and Dance Teacher Education
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Education, General
Education/Teaching Individuals - Hearing Impairments
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
Educational/Instructional Media Design
Elementary Education and Teaching
English/Language Arts Teacher Education
Foreign Language Teacher Education
Health Teacher Education
International and Comparative Education
Latin Teacher Education
Mathematics Teacher Education
Music Teacher Education
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
Reading Teacher Education
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
Social Studies Teacher Education
Special Education and Teaching, General
Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other
Teacher Education/Profess Development, Subject Areas, Other
Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
ENGINEERING
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
Archeology
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
Engineering Mechanics
Engineering Science
Engineering, General
Manufacturing Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Systems Engineering
FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK
Public Administration
Social Work
FINE ARTS
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Painting
Sculpture
HOSPITALITY
Hospitality Administration/Management, General
LAW
Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law (LLM, JSD/SJD)
Law (LLB, JD)
Legal Assistant/Paralegal
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other
Programs for Foreign Lawyers (LLM, MCL)
Tax Law/Taxation (LLM, JSD/SJD)
LIBERAL ARTS
African-American/Black Studies
American/United States Studies/Civilization
Ancient Studies/Civilization
Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
Anthropology
Area Studies, Other
Central/Middle and Eastern European Studies
Classics/Classical Languages, Lit & Linguistics, General
Creative Writing
Development Economics and International Development
East Asian Studies
Economics, General
Economics, Other
English Language and Literature, General
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
French Language and Literature
Geography
German Language and Literature
Historic Preservation and Conservation
History, General
International Relations and Affairs
Italian Language and Literature
Italian Studies
Japanese Language and Literature
Latin American Studies
Latin Language and Literature
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Linguistics
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Political Science and Government, General
Regional Studies (US, Canadian, Foreign)
Russian Language and Literature
Social Sciences, General
Social Sciences, Other
Sociology
Spanish Language and Literature
Urban Studies/Affairs
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
Mathematics, General
Systems Science and Theory
MEDIA
Advertising
Broadcast Journalism
Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Health Communication
Journalism
Journalism, Other
Public Relations/Image Management
Radio and Television
MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION
Environmental Health
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY
Audiology/Audiologist and Hearing Sciences
Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician
Dental Assisting/Assistant
Dental Laboratory Technology/Technician
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
MEDICINE
Advanced General Dentistry (Cert, MS, PhD)
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other
Dental Clinical Sciences, General (MS, PhD)
Dental Public Health and Education (Cert, MS/MPH, PhD/DPH)
Dentistry (DDS, DMD)
Endodontics/Endodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Medical Scientist (MS, PhD)
Medicine (MD)
Neuroscience
Oral Biology and Oral Pathology (MS, PhD)
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery (Cert, MS, PhD)
Orthodontics/Orthodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics (Cert, MS, PhD)
Periodontics/Periodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
Pre-Dentistry Studies
Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
MUSIC
Conducting
Music History, Literature, and Theory
Music Performance, General
Music Theory and Composition
Music, General
Musicology and Ethnomusicology
Piano and Organ
Violin, Viola, Guitar and Other Stringed Instruments
Voice and Opera
NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY
Athletic Training/Trainer
Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist
Nutrition Sciences
Occupational Therapy/Therapist
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other
Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor
PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
Bible/Biblical Studies
Divinity/Ministry (BD, MDiv)
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other
Philosophy
Religion/Religious Studies
Religious/Sacred Music
Theology/Theological Studies
SCIENCE
Anatomy
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Biochemistry
Biochemistry/Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Bioinformatics
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Biophysics
Biostatistics
Biotechnology
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
Chemistry, General
Chemistry, Other
Conservation Biology
Environmental Biology
Epidemiology
Genetics, General
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other
Geology/Earth Science, General
Geophysics and Seismology
Hydrology and Water Resources Science
Immunology
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
Molecular Biology
Neurobiology and Neurophysiology
Pathology/Experimental Pathology
Pharmacology
Physics, General
Physiology, General
SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
THERAPY AND COUNSELING
Clinical Psychology
Counseling Psychology
Genetic Counseling/Counselor
Maternal and Child Health
Physical Therapy/Therapist
Psychology, General
(Details are provided further down on this page.)
What Sets BU Apart:
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of degree programs (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Number of students (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Salaries of full-time faculty (vs. all colleges) | Top 3% | ![]() ![]() |
| % of degrees in religion and philosophy (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 7% | ![]() |
| Student SAT scores (vs. all colleges) | Top 7% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in media (vs. all colleges) | Top 9% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in law (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 11% | ![]() |
| Faculty/student ratio (full-time) (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 12% | ![]() |
| Minority % of student body (for colleges of its size and type) | Top 16% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in medicine (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 16% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in computer science and engineering (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 16% | ![]() |
| Dorm rooms per full-time student (vs. all colleges) | Top 16% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in medical adminstration (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 18% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in science (vs. colleges with similar degree levels) | Top 18% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in therapy and counseling (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 18% | ![]() |
Notable:
Grants credits for AP courses
Offers distance learning
Offers weekend classes
Career counseling
Career services
Student employment services
Option to study abroad
Offers part-time study
On-campus library
Offers campus housing
Tenure system for quality teaching
Has ROTC (army, navy, air force)
Offers athletic scholarships
NCAA athletic conference member
Try our unique CollegeMatch™ tool to find schools similar to BU.
Click occupation names for extensive details, including salary and other job data.
(Based on an automated mapping of degrees popular at BU with government-defined occupation categories)
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