Is Johns Hopkins or Boston University more diverse?

Boston University is likely to feel more diverse overall, especially because of its larger student population, extensive international enrollment, and wide mix of undergraduate and professional programs. Its Boston location also puts students in regular contact with people from many countries, backgrounds, and academic paths beyond the residential campus itself. Johns Hopkins is diverse as well, but its smaller undergraduate community can make the social environment feel more concentrated.

BU’s scale is a meaningful difference. Students are spread across numerous schools and colleges, from arts and communication to engineering, business, and health-related fields, creating a broad mix of interests, socioeconomic backgrounds, and hometowns. The university has long had a notably global student presence, and Boston’s neighborhoods, public transit, internships, and nearby cultural institutions tend to extend that international and urban character beyond campus.

Johns Hopkins has substantial racial, ethnic, and international diversity, particularly among students drawn to science, engineering, public health, and research. At the same time, its Homewood undergraduate campus has a more defined academic identity and a smaller, more residential feel than BU. Baltimore offers important opportunities to engage with a diverse city, but the day-to-day student scene may feel less expansive than BU’s.

For a decision based on the overall breadth of people and perspectives encountered across campus, BU has the edge. It is still worth looking separately at each school’s current enrollment data for the specific kinds of diversity that matter most to you, such as race and ethnicity, international representation, first-generation students, or socioeconomic background.