89%
Graduation Rate
95%
Retention Rate
[updated for 2024-2025 graduation data]
At Boston University, the graduation rate is 89 % within 150% normal time, the retention rate is 95 %, as of August 31, 2025.
Its graduation rate is around the average rate when comparing similar colleges' rate of 91.10% (private (not-for-profit) Research University with very high research activity).
Graduation Rates in Reasonable Completion Time
For the academic year 2024-2025, 3,191 students out of 3,599 candidates have completed their courses within 150% normal time (i.e. in 6 years for 4-year BS degree) at Boston University.
By gender, 1,346 male and 1,845 female students graduated the school last year completing their jobs in the period.
| Candidates | Completers | Graduation Rates |
|---|
| Total | 3,599 | 3,191 | 88.66% |
|---|
| Men | 1,560 | 1,346 | 86.28% |
|---|
| Women | 2,039 | 1,845 | 90.49% |
|---|
Graduation Rate By Race/Ethnicity
The following table shows graduation rate by race and at Boston University.
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 100.00%
- Asian: 91.40%
- Black (Non-Hispanic): 85.07%
- Hispanic: 85.85%
- White: 90.08%
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 100.00%
- Two or More Race: 85.54%
- Unknown: 86.16%
Graduation Rate by Gender
| Total | Male | Female |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 100.00%(3/3) |
100.00%(1/1) |
100.00%(2/2) |
|---|
| Asian | 91.40%(648/709) |
90.43%(293/324) |
92.21%(355/385) |
|---|
| Black (Non-Hispanic) | 85.07%(114/134) |
84.78%(39/46) |
85.23%(75/88) |
|---|
| Hispanic | 85.85%(352/410) |
79.78%(142/178) |
90.52%(210/232) |
|---|
| White | 90.08%(1,062/1,179) |
88.31%(423/479) |
91.29%(639/700) |
|---|
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 100.00%(5/5) |
100.00%(1/1) |
100.00%(4/4) |
|---|
| Two or More Race | 85.54%(142/166) |
83.56%(61/73) |
87.10%(81/93) |
|---|
| Unknown | 86.16%(137/159) |
78.13%(50/64) |
91.58%(87/95) |
|---|
Non-Resident Alien Graduation Rate
A non-resident alien student is not a US citizen/green card holder and studies with a student visa, such as an F visa, in the United States. At Boston University, 728 of 834 non-resident alien students completed their studies and the graduation rate was 87.29%.