Boston College

Boston College's program mix is anchored in Business, with strong representation across finance, economics, and applied quantitative fields — a portfolio that reflects the institution's professional orientation within a liberal-arts framework. Economics is the largest program with 354 graduates annually, followed by Finance, Communication and Media Studies, Biology, General, and Political Science.

Business accounts for 26% of degree output, Social Sciences represents 18%, and Arts adds 2%. Across 36 programs serving roughly 3,052 students annually, 24 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold.

The strongest national ranks cluster in finance and applied business fields. Azimuth ranks Finance #5 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 325 graduates earning $147,746.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #41 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $143,204. Economics, the largest program by cohort, earns $121,337 four years out, and Azimuth ranks it #32 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — combining scale with strong early-career pay.

Several of Boston College's largest programs feed directly into high-mobility career paths in finance, consulting, and corporate management, where four-year earnings reflect strong labor-market demand. Biology, General and Political Science are more likely grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to professional or doctoral programs.

Boston College's published cost of attendance is $89,493, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $4,284 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $13,112, and higher-income families pay approximately $60,308.

Azimuth ranks Boston College #1330 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay can be substantial — see the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for context on how published costs compare with what students typically owe. Boston College participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The institution's aid structure is primarily need-based, and the spread between low-income and higher-income net prices reflects meaningful institutional grant support for qualifying families. Students and families weighing the full cost picture should account for how aid eligibility shifts across income bands when comparing Boston College with peer institutions.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $45,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $96,145, median federal debt of $19,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $215 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Boston College earn median earnings of $96,145 four years after enrollment, placing Boston College in the 93.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $95,739 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $12,855 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Boston College in the 89.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Boston College #37 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Business is the dominant program family, representing 26% of degree output, with Social Sciences at 18% and Arts at 2%. Finance combines high enrollment with strong earnings, making it a key driver of Boston College's overall return profile.

Azimuth ranks Economics #32 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 354 graduates earning median earnings of $121,337. Azimuth ranks Finance #5 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 325 graduates earning median earnings of $147,746.

Azimuth ranks Communication and Media Studies #15 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Azimuth ranks Biology, General #12 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — with 182 graduates earning median earnings of $83,614. Azimuth ranks Political Science #26 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 142 graduates earning median earnings of $86,537.