Chestnut Hill, MA · Clery Act 2023 · Private Nonprofit

Boston College

According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 15,280-student campus.

2.75
Incidents / 1k students
#2,204
Rank of 3,050
#53
MA rank
15,280
Enrolled students

Data updated June 2026

The verdict

Boston College reports 2.75 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,204 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 72% of ranked campuses its size.

2.75
incidents / 1,000 students
#2,204
of 3,050 ranked nationally
72%
report fewer incidents than this campus
30
on-campus incidents, 2023

Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2023

-16 reported incidents

Boston College decreased from 46 to 30 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

Boston College is a Private Nonprofit institution located in Chestnut Hill, MA, enrolling approximately 15,280 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 107 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within MA, it ranks #53 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →

With 15,280 enrolled students, this campus sits in the mid-sized institution bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.

The most frequently reported category at Boston College is "Rape" with 58 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in MA averaging 2.26 incidents per 1,000 students, Boston College reports 22% more incidents per student.

Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 2 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 9 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.

Safety Score

2.75 /1K students

incidents per 1,000 enrolled

National Rank

#2204

See peer comparison

State Rank (MA)

#53

within state peers

Incidents (2023)

30

across 11 crime categories

Where Boston College sits among ranked U.S. campuses

On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students

3 safer than 28% of 1,807 ranked campuses

0–1: 874 ranked campuses (48%). Below this entry. 1–2: 281 ranked campuses (16%). Below this entry. 2–3: 186 ranked campuses (10%). This entry sits in this band. 3–4: 135 ranked campuses (7%). Above this entry. 4–5: 84 ranked campuses (5%). Above this entry. 5–6: 71 ranked campuses (4%). Above this entry. 6–7: 36 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 7–8: 37 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 8–9: 103 ranked campuses (6%). Above this entry. This campus 0 9 every ranked campus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023

Safety percentile vs. peers

Boston College percentile rank 27.7%
National median

Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2204 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.

Reporting density vs peer median

Boston College reports 22% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$70,702
Out-of-State Tuition
$70,702
Avg Net Price
$41,704
Median Debt
$19,000
Pell Grant Recipients
13%
How does this cost rank in MA? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
16%
SAT Average
1507
SAT Math Range
730–780
ACT Average
34
ACT Range
33–35

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
91%
Retention Rate
96%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$85,717
Median Earnings (10yr)
$103,937
Loan Repayment (3yr)
94%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Enrollment scale

How campus size shapes the safety figures

With 15,280 enrolled students, Boston College is in the largest 6% of the 5,673 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment. The safety score above already normalizes reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe. Use the annual crime table to see what was reported, then use the peer comparison to judge the rate against schools of a similar scale. A lower reported rate is not a guarantee of individual safety or a measure of reporting quality.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

Boston College: on-campus incidents by year

Declining 3% (31 → 30 incidents)

253035404550 202120222023 31 30 ▼ -3.2%
Crime Type 202320222021
Aggravated Assault 120
Arson 000
Burglary 033
Fondling 111311
Incest 000
Motor Vehicle Theft 131
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 000
Negligent Manslaughter 000
Rape 172516
Robbery 000
Statutory Rape 000

Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2023 2 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

9 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
9 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2023 0 139
Liquor 2023 0 566
Weapons 2023 0 7
Drugs 2022 0 112
Liquor 2022 0 783
Weapons 2022 0 3
Drugs 2021 0 103
Liquor 2021 0 868
Weapons 2021 0 1

Boston College vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).

Selected

MA

Boston College

2.75 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,204
Enrollment
15,280
Data year
2023

Similar Institutions

University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO · 15,277 enrolled
Safety Score 2.95
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, LA · 15,345 enrolled
Safety Score 2.02
Victor Valley College
Victorville, CA · 15,372 enrolled
Safety Score 0.26
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA · 15,181 enrolled
Safety Score 3.03
California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA · 15,431 enrolled
Safety Score 3.05

Closest by National Rank

Institutions ranked nearest Boston College nationally (rank #2204), regardless of size or state.

UEI College-Garden Grove
Garden Grove, CA
National Rank #2203
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA
National Rank #2205
The University of Montana-Western
Dillon, MT
National Rank #2202
D'Youville University
Buffalo, NY
National Rank #2206
SUNY College of Technology at Canton
Canton, NY
National Rank #2201

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston College safe?
Boston College has a safety score of 2.75 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,204 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at Boston College?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does Boston College compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in MA.
Does Boston College have fire safety data?
Yes. Boston College reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 2 fires were reported in the most recent year.

Understanding Boston College's Safety Profile

Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA enrolls 15,280 students and has a safety score of 2.75 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2204 nationally.

Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents decreased from 46 in 2022 to 30 in 2023.

Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 2 fires were reported in the most recent year.

What this means for you

Boston College's 2.75 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.

Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.