Boston College vs Suffolk University

This page compares Boston College and Suffolk University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 24 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 24 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend Boston College. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, Boston College is ranked #25 compared to #127 — a gap of 102 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Boston College has a median LSAT of 168 compared to 155, a gap of 13 points. This suggests applicants to Boston College face a more competitive admissions pool.

Boston College is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.5% compared to Suffolk University's 61.9%.

Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Boston College in Newton and Suffolk University in Boston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: Boston College places 43.7% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 12.2% for the other school. This 32 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Suffolk University has lower tuition at $62,610 per year compared to $72,380. Combined with employment rates of 94.7% (BC) and 87.1% (Suffolk University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Suffolk University offered a median scholarship of $102,000 compared to $72,000, a difference of $30,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.