10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$45,462at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Private nonprofit · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Boston University
Boston, MA · 96 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 94 · Federal debt reported for 41
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$45,462 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
8.6 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+16%Estimated return after 10 years
$77,307Observed earnings · year 5
$35,768Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $11,366 per year below this threshold.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $19,020 housing and food allowance plus $2,085 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$143,070
$10,000Annual price+$103,070
$20,000Annual price+$63,070
$24,000Current college-wide context+$47,070
$30,000Annual price+$23,070
$40,000Annual price−$16,930
$50,000Annual price−$56,930
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Most students study without distance-education courses.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- New England Commission on Higher Education
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
46 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Massachusetts run 6% above the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$24,402Average net price / year
$86,285Cost of attendance
$23,250Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$246/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$77,307Median earnings · year 5 after completion
88.7%Completion rate
11.1%Admission rate
1,480Average SAT score
33ACT midpoint
18,248Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Boston University
What does Boston University cost?
Boston University reports an average annual net price of $24,402 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Boston University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $77,307 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Boston University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $23,250. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Boston University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 96 field-and-degree records for Boston University; 94 report year-4 earnings and 41 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
43,786Students enrolled at any point
21,711Undergraduate students
22,075Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
86% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
888 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
76% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$82,963Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$82,077Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$84,188Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income75%
Middle income80%
Higher income85%
Undergraduate student composition
White32%
Black6%
Hispanic11%
Asian21%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$55,834Year 1
$83,615Year 4
$77,307Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences · Graduate/Professional Certificate$263,4862Law · First Professional Degree$194,7503Dentistry · First Professional Degree$180,6334Insurance · Master's Degree$177,6425Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies · Master's Degree$156,0876Computer Science · Master's Degree$153,9377Health and Medical Administrative Services · Master's Degree$150,8278Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$147,178Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's Degree · $110,622 reported+99%vs same-degree national median$22,625federal debt2LawFirst Professional Degree · $194,750 reported+81%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherMaster's Degree · $138,128 reported+69%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Health and Medical Administrative ServicesMaster's Degree · $150,827 reported+68%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree · $108,412 reported+59%vs same-degree national median$25,000federal debt6InsuranceMaster's Degree · $177,642 reported+55%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in MA
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Boston, MA
Boston Architectural College
- Annual net price
- $25,865
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $75,759
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +9%
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing
- Annual net price
- $22,761
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $80,662
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +32%
Anna Maria College
- Annual net price
- $28,333
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $75,529
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +4%
Simmons University
- Annual net price
- $25,265
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $72,384
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -3%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 96 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $263,486 | Not available | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $194,750 | Not available | Not reported |
| Dentistry | First Professional Degree | $180,633 | Not available | Not reported |
| Insurance | Master's Degree | $177,642 | Not available | Not reported |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's Degree | $156,087 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Master's Degree | $153,937 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $150,827 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $147,178 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $140,032 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Master's Degree | $138,128 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $136,667 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's Degree | $136,425 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $135,394 | $26,866 | 0 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $118,168 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Master's Degree | $117,293 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $117,154 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $113,482 | Not available | Not reported |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $110,622 | $22,625 | 5 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $108,412 | $25,000 | 6 |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $106,292 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Master's Degree | $104,263 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Master's Degree | $103,316 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $102,530 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | Master's Degree | $101,267 | Not available | 0 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $99,024 | $26,848 | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $98,953 | $26,646 | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $96,723 | $24,500 | Not reported |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Master's Degree | $96,565 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $95,757 | $26,400 | Not reported |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Doctoral Degree | $91,158 | Not available | 29 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Master's Degree | $90,212 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $88,820 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | Master's Degree | $87,544 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $86,687 | Not available | 138 |
| Nutrition Sciences | Master's Degree | $84,870 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $84,784 | $19,750 | Not reported |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $83,413 | $26,773 | Not reported |
| Journalism | Master's Degree | $82,549 | Not available | Not reported |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $82,302 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Master's Degree | $81,518 | Not available | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Boston University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.