Boston University (BU) vs Hampshire College

Boston University and Hampshire College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer contrasting educational experiences. Boston University, a private research university, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, with popular majors in business, engineering, and health sciences. Hampshire College, a private liberal arts college, emphasizes interdisciplinary studies and experiential learning, with popular majors in social sciences, arts, and humanities. While Boston University's acceptance rate is more selective, Hampshire College offers a more personalized and collaborative learning environment. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Boston University	Hampshire College
Overview
Location	Boston, Massachusetts	Amherst, Massachusetts
Campus setting	City: Large	Suburb: 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
Students retention rate	94.0%	72.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	18.6%	75.1%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $80 Graduate: $95
SAT range	1360 - 1520	N/A
ACT range	31 - 34	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	32.0%
Students submitting ACT score	13.0%
Total number of applicants	75,778	1,340
Total number of admissions given out	14,129	1,007
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4,011	133
Yield rate	28.4%	13.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$79,606	$66,658
Average net price	$25,852	$30,168
Tuition	$58,560	$51,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,990 Meal plan: $5,850	Room/dormitory: $8,520 Meal plan: $5,912
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	53.0% Average amount $50,486	100.0% Average amount $36,653
Students receiving federal student loan	24.0% Average amount $4,317	64.0% Average amount $4,793
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $25,248	1.0% Average amount $8,793

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	18,229 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%	472 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
Graduate students	17,875 Men 42.5% Women 57.5%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	26.6%	6.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	11,356	1,180
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	New York California New Jersey Connecticut Pennsylvania	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Computer and Information Science Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Ethnic Studies
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	89.4%	62.4%
Dropout rate	10.3%	37.3%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Dentistry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $115,398 Year 2: $125,611 Year 3: $147,490 Computer Science (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $110,318 Year 2: $110,878 Year 3: $142,427 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $80,155 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $117,665 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,383 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $115,901 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $104,027 Year 2: $106,688 Year 3: $113,743 Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,380 Year 2: $102,306 Year 3: $111,308 Insurance (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $112,170 Year 2: $97,959 Year 3: $108,260 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $108,069 Year 2: $92,743 Year 3: $106,517 Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $87,263 Year 2: $96,829 Year 3: $104,284 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $81,137 Year 2: $83,848 Year 3: $99,636	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,720 Year 2: $19,829 Year 3: $23,704

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