UMass Boston vs Suffolk

When it comes to higher education in Boston, two prominent institutions that often draw comparisons are the University of Massachusetts-Boston and Suffolk University. While both offer a diverse range of academic programs and opportunities, they differ in several key aspects. UMass-Boston, a public research university, boasts a significantly higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, providing a more comprehensive and vibrant campus experience. Suffolk University, on the other hand, is a private institution known for its strong pre-professional programs, smaller class sizes, and a more personalized learning environment. To help you make an informed decision about your academic journey, we've compiled a detailed comparison table highlighting the acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and other essential information for both universities. Explore the table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
Suffolk University logo

Suffolk University

University of Massachusetts-Boston logo

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Overview

Location Boston, Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 78.0% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.0% 78.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1080 - 1280 1060 - 1280
ACT range 23 - 29 24 - 30
Students submitting SAT score 19.0% 21.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0% 2.0%
Total number of applicants 7,501 16,383
Total number of admissions given out 6,603 12,926
Admitted students who chose to enroll 982 2,246
Yield rate 14.9% 17.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $66,127
In state: $32,547

Out of state: $53,009
Average net price $32,393 $17,575
Tuition $41,242
In state: $14,187

Out of state: $34,649
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $14,850

Meal plan: $3,646
Room/dormitory: $12,304

Meal plan: $5,830
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $25,670
94.0%
Average amount $11,767
Students receiving federal student loan 62.0%
Average amount $5,337
56.0%
Average amount $4,888
Students taking out private loans 18.0%
Average amount $16,757
4.0%
Average amount $13,299

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,227
Men 41.0% Women 59.0%
12,269
Men 42.0% Women 58.0%
Graduate students 2,420
Men 37.1% Women 62.9%
3,368
Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 13.5% 8.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,570 1,077
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New Hampshire Connecticut Rhode Island New York California Connecticut New York New Hampshire New Jersey California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 60.3% 49.0%
Dropout rate 11.5% 21.0%
Transferred out 27.7% 25.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business/Managerial Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $116,870
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $98,105
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,557
  • Year 2: $83,388
  • Year 3: $91,689
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,460
  • Year 2: $87,973
  • Year 3: $90,316
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,669
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $85,861
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,980
  • Year 2: $74,576
  • Year 3: $82,759
Marketing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,895
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $81,268
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,555
  • Year 2: $67,273
  • Year 3: $77,798
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,355
  • Year 2: $59,253
  • Year 3: $72,153
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,040
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $67,609
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,995
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $65,266
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $112,116
  • Year 2: $106,814
  • Year 3: $113,564
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,622
  • Year 2: $99,439
  • Year 3: $102,552
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $80,281
  • Year 2: $87,815
  • Year 3: $90,532
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,553
  • Year 2: $74,200
  • Year 3: $85,172
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,099
  • Year 2: $72,134
  • Year 3: $81,557
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,854
  • Year 2: $71,098
  • Year 3: $77,768
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,054
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $66,484
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,752
  • Year 2: $51,551
  • Year 3: $61,444
Special Education and Teaching (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $59,425
  • Year 3: $60,766
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $53,984
  • Year 3: $59,739

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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.
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