Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 58/100

Boston Architectural College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Boston, Massachusetts

About Boston Architectural College

Thinking about Boston Architectural College, a college in Massachusetts where more students graduate in Architecture than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Boston Architectural College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Boston, Massachusetts. It enrolls 280 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
40.8%
Net Price
$25,865
Median Earnings (10yr)
$62,123
Enrollment
280
Student : Faculty
3:1

Accreditor New England Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 48
Value 36
Affordability 25
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Boston Architectural College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $25,865 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$25,865
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
29%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
45%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$27,470
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,000
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,200
Total Cost of Attendance
$40,343

Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $24,056
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $14,348
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $30,097
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $34,343

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,500
10% percentile
$17,750
25% percentile
$37,250
Median percentile
$47,000
75% percentile
$55,365
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $28,250 ↓ $9,000
No Pell $10,798 ↓ $26,452
Dependent students $25,249 ↓ $12,001
Independent students $20,448 ↓ $16,802
Female students $25,000 ↓ $12,250
Male students $24,000 ↓ $13,250
Pell recipients: 21.1% (7,868 students)No Pell: 8.1% (3,007 students)Dependent students: 18.9% (7,032 students)Independent students: 15.3% (5,695 students)Female students: 18.7% (6,963 students)Male students: 17.9% (6,684 students)Overall Median$37,250
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $14,344, less than completers ($37,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

41% of students who start here finish within six years, and 68% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
41%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
68%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $62,123 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$62,123
Earning > $25K
74%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$58,000$59,500$60,500$61,500$63,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$42,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$56,900

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$55,700

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$46,900

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$50,300

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $14,200, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Stable ↑ 0.3 pts across 6 years
76.8%1yr76.5%3yr77.1%5yr
What this signals: Strong. 77% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 280 students, an intimate, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
280
Part-Time
39%
First-Generation
—

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 35.4% 99
Hispanic 24.3% 68
International 16.8% 47
Black 7.5% 21
Asian 7.5% 21
Other 3.2% 9
White: 35.4% (99 students)Hispanic: 24.3% (68 students)International: 16.8% (47 students)Black: 7.5% (21 students)Asian: 7.5% (21 students)Other: 3.2% (9 students)Total280

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Boston Architectural College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City Boston, Massachusetts
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
52% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

Boston Architectural College offers a varied set of programs: 10 distinct programs across 1 major. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

10 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 3 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
3:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$17M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$61,088
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

21 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
No Rank 21 100% $61,088

Pros & Cons of Boston Architectural College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Boston Architectural College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Below-average completion rate
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Higher than typical student debt at graduation
Best for: Based on the data, Boston Architectural College is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Boston Architectural College

The questions families ask most about Boston Architectural College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Boston Architectural College cost?
Budget around $25,865 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Boston Architectural College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $62,123 a year against a net price of $25,865, about 2.4 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Boston Architectural College known for?
Mostly Architecture, General, Architecture, General, Environmental Design. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Boston Architectural College graduates earn?
About $62,123 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Boston Architectural College accredited?
Yes. Boston Architectural College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Boston Architectural College?
280 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Boston Architectural College?
41% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Boston Architectural College a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Boston Architectural College located?
Boston Architectural College is located in Boston, Massachusetts.
What programs does Boston Architectural College offer?
10 different programs, most commonly Architecture, General, Architecture, General, Environmental Design. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Boston Architectural College?
3 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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