Boston College Acceptance Rate
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 36,069
- Admitted
- 5,645
- Yield
- 41.4%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Boston College's acceptance rate has fallen from 33.9% in 2014–15 to 15.7% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 23,223 to 36,069 (+55%) over that period.
Its 15.7% rate makes Boston College more selective than about 96% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 61 tracked Massachusetts schools, it is more selective than about 85%.
In 2023–24, men were admitted at a higher rate (14.4% for women vs 17.5% for men, a 3.1-point gap). Boston College has been test-optional since 2020–21. Of admitted students, 41.4% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 23,223 | 7,875 | 33.9% | 2,288 |
| 2015–16 | 29,486 | 8,405 | 28.5% | 2,162 |
| 2016–17 | 28,956 | 9,017 | 31.1% | 2,359 |
| 2017–18 | 28,454 | 9,223 | 32.4% | 2,412 |
| 2018–19 | 31,084 | 8,669 | 27.9% | 2,327 |
| 2019–20 | 35,552 | 9,679 | 27.2% | 2,297 |
| 2020–21 | 29,382 | 7,752 | 26.4% | 2,408 |
| 2021–22 | 39,846 | 7,587 | 19% | 2,516 |
| 2022–23 | 40,494 | 6,748 | 16.7% | 2,335 |
| 2023–24 | 36,069 | 5,645 | 15.7% | 2,335 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 21,711 | 3,135 | 14.4% |
| Men | 14,358 | 2,510 | 17.5% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 710–760 | 28% |
| SAT Math | 720–780 | |
| ACT Composite | 33–34 | 16% |
How Boston College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Boston College's acceptance rate?
Boston College's acceptance rate is 15.7% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (5,645 admitted of 36,069 applicants).
Is Boston College test optional?
Boston College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Boston College?
Boston College received 36,069 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 5,645.
What SAT score do you need for Boston College?
Admitted students at Boston College typically scored 710–760 on SAT Reading/Writing and 720–780 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Boston College getting harder to get into?
Boston College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 33.9% in 2014–15 to 15.7% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.bc.edu/.