Acceptance Rate History
Boston University Acceptance Rate (2013–2025)
MA · Current rate: 12.8%
Boston University admits the SAT 1420–1530 range — you might be closer than you think.
This page is one school. The call weighs it against the rest of your list, from what each school published.
What is Boston University's acceptance rate in 2025?
Boston University's acceptance rate in 2025 is 12.8%, up from 11.1% in 2024.
Common Data Set 2025-2026
How many applicants does Boston University admit, and what is its acceptance rate?
In its 2025 admissions cycle, Boston University admitted 9,853 of 76,776 applicants — an overall acceptance rate of 12.8%.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Does Boston University's 2025 acceptance rate include early-round applicants?
Yes. The 12.8% rate is one whole-cycle figure covering all 76,776 applicants Boston University received for 2025, early and regular rounds counted together; it is not the rate of any single round.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Acceptance Rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12.8% | 76,776 | 9,853 |
| 2024 | 11.1% | 78,769 | 8,749 |
| 2023 | 10.9% | 80,495 | 8,733 |
| 2022 | 14.4% | 80,796 | 11,607 |
| 2021 | 18.7% | 75,778 | 14,129 |
| 2020 | 20.1% | 61,007 | 12,254 |
| 2019 | 18.9% | 62,224 | 11,786 |
| 2018 | 22.1% | 64,481 | 14,247 |
| 2017 | 25.1% | 60,825 | 15,273 |
| 2016 | 29.4% | 57,441 | 16,907 |
| 2015 | 32.6% | 54,781 | 17,871 |
| 2014 | 34.5% | 54,190 | 18,701 |
| 2013 | 45.6% | 44,006 | 20,071 |
Source: IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · College Scorecard
Cost
The same school, two different prices
Family income under $30k: $9,500/yr · Family income over $110k: $47,504/yr (AY 2023–24)
Average paid by students receiving federal aid, by family income (College Scorecard). International students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid, so they are not in this cohort and typically pay closer to the sticker price.
High-income families typically pay closer to sticker.
Aid for international students
Boston University's average institutional aid award to international undergraduates was $56,639 (2025-2026 Common Data Set).
These figures describe only the international students who actually received aid — not what a typical international admit can expect. International students outside this group pay the full sticker price.
Source: official Common Data Set filing
Admitted Student Profile
SAT Range · Middle 50% (25th–75th)
1420–1530
College Scorecard 2024
Admitted students at Boston University scored between 1420 and 1530 on the SAT (middle 50%).
Source: College Scorecard · U.S. Dept of Education
What this school weighs — Boston University
Course rigor and GPA are not in this table. Nearly every school rates both at the top, so they tell you nothing about this one. These six are where schools differ.
| Class rank | Important |
|---|---|
| Standardized test scores | Considered |
| Application essay | Important |
| Recommendations | Important |
| Extracurricular activities | Important |
| Character / personal qualities | Important |
How to read these numbers
- The 2025 rate covers Boston University's whole applicant pool — early and regular applications counted together in one figure. It is not the rate of any single round.
- 1420–1530 is the middle half of admitted scores, not a cutoff: a quarter of admitted students scored below 1420, and a quarter scored above 1530.
- The table above holds 13 reported years, 2013 through 2025. Across them Boston University's rate ranged from 10.9% to 45.6%, so any single year is one point inside that range.
Each figure above describes a class a school already admitted in a completed cycle. It is a record of who was admitted, not a measurement of any one application.
Source: College Scorecard · IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · U.S. Dept. of Education
Where do you stand?
School
Boston University
Boston University
SAT
Middle 50% of admitted students scored 1420–1530.
This is SAT only. Your free full score also weighs your GPA, activities, and awards.
Enter your SAT above to see where you stand. Or get your free full score →
Trend Analysis
Boston University's acceptance rate has decreased from 45.6% in 2013 to 12.8% in 2025, reflecting increased selectivity. The most notable shift occurred in 2014.
Analysis compiled from official data trends.
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Data sourced from IPEDS and College Scorecard. Does not represent endorsements or guarantee admission outcomes.