BU Tuition 2025-2026: $69,870 Sticker vs. $27,551 Average Net Price

But sticker price isn't what most families pay. The average net price after financial aid is $27,551 -- about 29% of sticker. BU distributes $473 million in annual aid and now meets 100% of demonstrated need for eligible students.

Mandatory Fees: $1,502/year

Tuition + Fees: $71,372/year

BU charges uniform tuition across all schools -- CAS, Questrom, Engineering, COM, CFA, Sargent, Wheelock, and Pardee are all $69,870. The exception is the College of General Studies (CGS), which has a different structure.

Student Health Insurance ($3,538/year) is billed separately and can be waived if you have qualifying coverage. Don't miss the waiver deadline (September 20 for fall).

Indirect Costs:

Total COA: $94,427 (residential) Commuter COA: $78,954

The COA uses the cheapest housing option. If you live in StuVi 2 ($22,760/year for a single), the real COA exceeds $104,000.

Housing is the biggest variable in BU's cost. The range is nearly $10,000/year:

Freshmen are typically placed in standard doubles ($12,790). Upperclassmen can choose apartment-style options but pay significantly more.

Off-campus comparison: Allston apartments run $900-$1,200/person/month ($10,800-$14,400/year). After adding food, off-campus is usually cheaper than premium dorms.

Most families don't pay sticker price. Here's the average net price by family income:

Key stat: 57% of BU undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. The average BU grant is $44,568/year.

BU Promise (Class of 2031+): Starting with the Class of 2031, BU eliminates loans from first-year need-based aid packages, replacing them with grants. This could save eligible students thousands.

BU offers several merit-based scholarships that don't require a separate application:

Trustee Scholarship -- Full tuition + fees (~$71,372/year). BU's most prestigious undergraduate award. ~20 awarded per year. Requires December 1 application deadline and one additional essay. Open to international students.

Presidential Scholarship -- Half tuition (~$34,935/year). Awarded to students with exceptional academic records and leadership. Automatically considered. Open to international students.

Dean's Scholarship -- $20,000/year. For strong academic performers.

University Scholarship -- $15,000/year. Merit-based, automatically considered.

Important: All merit scholarships are awarded during the admissions process -- there's no separate merit scholarship application. Applying Early Decision does NOT affect merit scholarship consideration. Merit scholarships are renewable for 4 years if you maintain good academic standing (typically 3.0+ GPA).

BU's affordableBU (also called BU Promise) is a major financial aid initiative that dramatically reduces costs for most families:

Key features:

• All need-based aid is without loans for domestic first-year students
• If tuition increases, the BU Promise Scholarship increases by the same percentage
• Must submit CSS Profile and FAFSA by deadlines
• Applies to US citizens and permanent residents

This program makes BU one of the most affordable top-50 private universities in the country for families earning under $200,000.

BU tuition has increased steadily:

Tuition has increased by $13,016 (+23%) over 5 years. At this pace, BU tuition will likely cross $70,000 in 2026-2027 and could reach $80,000 by 2030.

Housing costs have increased even faster -- approximately 5% from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

BU's costs in context:

BU has one of the lowest net prices in this peer group despite having a high sticker price. With affordableBU, families earning under $200K get full tuition covered, making BU's effective cost competitive with or better than every peer school listed.

Key context: Tufts recently announced free tuition for families under $150K. BU's affordableBU covers full tuition for families under $200K. Northeastern does not meet full demonstrated need.

2. Waive health insurance. If you're covered under a parent's plan, waive BU's $3,538/year Student Health Insurance. The charge is automatic -- you must actively waive it.

3. Choose housing strategically. A standard double ($12,790) costs $10,000 less than a StuVi 2 single ($22,760). That's $40,000 over 4 years.

4. Move off campus as an upperclassman. Allston apartments can save $2,000-$5,000/year vs. on-campus living.

5. Use BU's payment plan. BU offers a 10-month interest-free payment plan through Nelnet. No credit check required. Enrollment fee is $75/semester.

6. Appeal your aid package. If your family's financial situation has changed or you received a better offer from a peer school, contact BU Financial Assistance. They do review appeals.