MA
Boston University
1.67 incidents / 1,000 students
Boston, MA · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit
Boston University
Across 2022–2024, Boston University reported 164 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Fondling). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Northeastern University.
- 1.67
- Incidents / 1k students
- #915
- Rank of 2,072
- #36
- MA rank
- 37,737
- Enrolled students
1.67 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Boston University reports 1.67 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 63% below San Jose State University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); Oregon State University (3.85/1k); California State University-Northridge (3.55/1k); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Northeastern University (1.38/1k); University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2.74/1k); Harvard University (7.63/1k); University of Massachusetts-Lowell (2.77/1k); University of Massachusetts-Boston (0.96/1k); Boston College (1.94/1k); Tufts University (2.94/1k); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3.53/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Fondling.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 1.67
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #915
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 56%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 50
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 164988 · Boston University 1.67/1k score rate · #915/2,072
RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT
- RATE-LOW 1.67/1k
- RANK-MID #915/2,072
- ST-MID #36 in state
- BELOW-PEER San Jose State University · 0.61 back
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 14%
- CAT-LEAD Fondling
- ENR-LARGE 37,737
- FIRE-REPORT 12 fires
Nearest enrollment peer: San Jose State University (+0.61/1k)
Boston University sheet RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT · peer San Jose State University. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-LARGE · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is San Jose State University (+0.61/1k). National rank #915 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Boston University reports 1.67 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 63% below San Jose State University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); Oregon State University (3.85/1k); California State University-Northridge (3.55/1k); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Northeastern University (1.38/1k); University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2.74/1k); Harvard University (7.63/1k); University of Massachusetts-Lowell (2.77/1k); University of Massachusetts-Boston (0.96/1k); Boston College (1.94/1k); Tufts University (2.94/1k); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3.53/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Fondling.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Boston University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Boston on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Boston University · this campus · lowest 1.67
Boston University — this campus · lowest
1.67 per 1,000 students
- San Jose State University · near 2.28
San Jose State University — near
2.28 per 1,000 students
- North Carolina State University · near 2.99
North Carolina State University at Raleigh — near
2.99 per 1,000 students
- California State University-Northridge · near 3.55
California State University-Northridge — near
3.55 per 1,000 students
- University of California-Irvine · highest peer
University of California-Irvine — highest peer
10.13 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Boston University's 1.67/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Boston University decreased from 70 to 50 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 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 changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 MA 4-year peers in this comparison, Boston University is larger than 100% and safer-reporting than 75% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 100
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Boston University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesley University | 2,557 | 1.96 | 0 | 58 |
| Springfield College | 2,599 | 9.23 | 3 | 6 |
| Bay Path University | 2,605 | 0.00 | 6 | 100 |
| Stonehill College | 2,674 | 5.98 | 8 | 14 |
| Smith College | 2,857 | 4.90 | 11 | 17 |
| Quincy College | 3,022 | 0.99 | 14 | 89 |
| College of the Holy Cross | 3,126 | 6.72 | 17 | 11 |
| Western New England University | 3,674 | 1.09 | 19 | 86 |
| Clark University | 3,925 | 3.82 | 22 | 25 |
| Babson College | 3,932 | 10.68 | 25 | 0 |
| Framingham State University | 4,002 | 2.25 | 28 | 56 |
| Boston University (this campus) | 37,737 | 1.67 | 100 | 75 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
Enrollment scale
How campus size shapes the safety figures
With 37,737 enrolled students, Boston University is the 70th largest of the 5,585 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment, ahead of 5,515 of them. Closest same-state same-level scored peers by enrollment: Northeastern University (1.38/1k); University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2.74/1k); Harvard University (7.63/1k); University of Massachusetts-Lowell (2.77/1k); University of Massachusetts-Boston (0.96/1k); Boston College (1.94/1k); Tufts University (2.94/1k); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3.53/1k). The score above normalizes 2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA 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 (San Jose State University is the nearest similar-enrollment comparison on this profile).
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Boston University fell from 70 to 50 (-29%). The increase shows up in Burglary (9 to 17), Motor Vehicle Theft (0 to 2) and Rape (6 to 7). Falling over the same period: Fondling (34 to 11), Aggravated Assault (17 to 10) and Arson (1 to 0).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Boston University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 7 Clery Act categories here: Fondling, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Rape, Robbery, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson.
The remaining 4 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter, Negligent Manslaughter and Statutory Rape. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyBoston University: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 14% (44 → 50 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 44 |
| 2023 | 70 |
| 2024 | 50 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fondling | 11 | 34 | 11 |
| Aggravated Assault | 10 | 17 | 10 |
| Burglary | 17 | 9 | 9 |
| Rape | 7 | 6 | 11 |
| Robbery | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Arson | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
72 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 3 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 332 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
Boston University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
CA
San Jose State University
2.28 incidents / 1,000 students
CA
University of California-Irvine
10.13 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Boston University sits on price and outcomes
At $24,402, Boston University's reported average net price is cheaper than 50% among 117 Massachusetts colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $24,402.
- $24,402
- average net price
- $24,402
- Massachusetts median
- 2.8×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $38,004
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $9,500, while those above $110,000 record $47,504 - roughly 5.0 times as much. A published average of $24,402 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Median reported earnings six years after entry are $65,655, roughly 2.7 times a year of net price. That is a workable ratio, though it says nothing about how long the programme takes to finish.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $68,102
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $68,102
- Avg Net Price
- $24,402
- Median Debt
- $23,250
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 19%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- SAT Average
- 1480
- SAT Math Range
- 730-780
- ACT Average
- 33
- ACT Range
- 32-34
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 89%
- Retention Rate
- 95%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $65,655
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $83,238
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 87%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 217 similar institutions by enrollment size.
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA · 37,661 enrolled
Safety Score 2.28
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · 37,297 enrolled
Safety Score 10.13
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · 37,163 enrolled
Safety Score 3.85
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · 38,313 enrolled
Safety Score 3.55
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · 38,464 enrolled
Safety Score 2.99
Closest by National Rank
Boston University (national rank #915) sits near Purdue University Fort Wayne (#914) and Ramapo College of New Jersey (#916) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN
National Rank #914
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Mahwah, NJ
National Rank #916
Nelson University
Waxahachie, TX
National Rank #917
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
Killeen, TX
National Rank #913
University of California College of the Law-San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
National Rank #918
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Boston University, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA · 37,661 enrolled
Safety score 2.28
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · 37,297 enrolled
Safety score 10.13
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR · 37,163 enrolled
Safety score 3.85
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · 38,313 enrolled
Safety score 3.55
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · 38,464 enrolled
Safety score 2.99
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · 38,532 enrolled
Safety score 2.57
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT · 36,894 enrolled
Safety score 15.02
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · 38,728 enrolled
Safety score 3.41
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Mahwah, NJ · 5,981 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
Nelson University
Waxahachie, TX · 1,794 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN · 7,206 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
University of California College of the Law-San Francisco
San Francisco, CA · 1,195 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
University of the Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, VI · 1,792 enrolled
Safety score 1.67
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
Killeen, TX · 2,403 enrolled
Safety score 1.66
Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI · 1,193 enrolled
Safety score 1.68
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest, IL · 4,770 enrolled
Safety score 1.68
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boston University safe?
Boston University has a safety score of 1.67 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #915 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: San Jose State University (2.28/1k). Same-state same-level set: Northeastern University (1.38/1k); University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2.74/1k); Harvard University (7.63/1k); University of Massachusetts-Lowell (2.77/1k); University of Massachusetts-Boston (0.96/1k); Boston College (1.94/1k); Tufts University (2.94/1k); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3.53/1k).
What crimes are reported at Boston University?
For calendar year 2024, Boston University reported Burglary (17), Fondling (11), Aggravated Assault (10), Rape (7) and Robbery (3), and 1 further category in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Boston University compare to similar schools?
Boston University reports 63% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than San Jose State University. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: San Jose State University (2.28/1k); University of California-Irvine (10.13/1k); Oregon State University (3.85/1k); California State University-Northridge (3.55/1k); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (2.99/1k). Same-state same-level set: Northeastern University (1.38/1k); University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2.74/1k); Harvard University (7.63/1k); University of Massachusetts-Lowell (2.77/1k); University of Massachusetts-Boston (0.96/1k); Boston College (1.94/1k); Tufts University (2.94/1k); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3.53/1k).
Does Boston University have fire safety data?
Yes. Boston University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 12 fires were reported in the most recent year.
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.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.