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Is Boston University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Boston, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
Boston lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $83,238 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $23,250 more manageable than it looks at first glance. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
Graduation and earnings data create a stronger long-run payoff picture.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$24,402
Median earnings 10 years out
$83,238
Median debt at graduation
$23,250
Graduation rate
89%
At Boston, a typical graduate carries about $23,250 in student debt and earns roughly $83,238 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $264 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Boston is a private nonprofit four year school in Boston, MA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
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Amherst
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Worth-It Score: 86/100
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American International
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Boston Architectural
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Worth-It Score: 47/100
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Anna Maria
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Worth-It Score: 33/100
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Assumption
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Worth-It Score: 70/100
Median net price: $29,498
Common questions about Boston
The median net price at Boston is $24,402 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →