The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Boston College
The Catholic University of America and Boston College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. The Catholic University of America, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a lower acceptance rate of 68%, while Boston College, situated in the vibrant city of Boston, has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 73%. In terms of student body demographics, The Catholic University of America has a larger undergraduate population, with over 3,000 students compared to Boston College's 9,000 undergraduates. Both universities offer a diverse range of popular majors, including Business, Psychology, and Biology, but Boston College additionally excels in the fields of Economics and Political Science. While The Catholic University of America boasts a slightly higher graduation rate of 86%, Boston College is known for its strong alumni network and career support. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the unique characteristics of each university and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic
|
![]() Boston College |
![]() The Catholic University of America |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | Washington, District of Columbia |
Campus setting | City: Small | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 95.0% | 88.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Catholic | Catholic |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 19.0% | 86.0% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$80
Graduate:
$75
|
$60 |
SAT range | 1420 - 1530 | N/A |
ACT range | 33 - 34 | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | 30.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 20.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 39,846 | 5,895 |
Total number of admissions given out | 7,587 | 5,070 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 2,516 | 691 |
Yield rate | 33.2% | 13.6% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $76,606 | $74,126 |
Average net price | $30,159 | $35,520 |
Tuition | $60,530 | $51,040 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$9,780
Meal plan:
$5,822
|
Room/dormitory:
$9,220
Meal plan:
$6,800
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
39.0%
Average amount $48,693 |
96.0%
Average amount $31,915 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
33.0%
Average amount $3,579 |
56.0%
Average amount $5,308 |
Students taking out private loans |
0.0%
Average amount $2,200 |
9.0%
Average amount $22,405 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
9,955
Men 47.1% Women 52.9% |
2,929
Men 44.1% Women 55.9% |
Graduate students |
5,622
Men 42.2% Women 57.8% |
2,130
Men 47.2% Women 52.8% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Low
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | 12.4% | 8.3% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 7,602 | 1,985 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | N/A |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 14:1 | 11:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 90.8% | 73.7% |
Dropout rate | 2.5% | 26.2% |
Transferred out | 6.4% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.


















































































































































