The BU Retirement Savings Program

The BU Retirement Savings Program: Understanding the Contributions

Regardless of your age, the time to think about retirement is now. With careful planning, you can help make your retirement years a more comfortable and secure time of life for you—and your family.

Your retirement benefits include a set of plans collectively called the BU Retirement Savings Program:

 blue-wallet The BU Retirement Plan, for University contributions only

red-wallet The Supplemental Retirement & Savings Plan, for your contributions only

red-wallet The 457(b) Savings Plan, for additional tax-deferred contributions for highly paid faculty and staff

Each of these plans is described in subsequent sections of this site.

Features of the BU Retirement Savings Program include:

  • Automatic enrollment for all eligible faculty and staff
  • Boston University automatic core contributions that require no employee contribution
  • Boston University matching contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 3%
Integration Level 2025: $70,600

For 2025, the integration level is $70,600 for the University core contributions. This value is adjusted each calendar year based on the Wage Base increase or the Consumer Price Index (wages) increase, whichever is smaller.

Here’s how it works: Let’s say you are 50 years old and earn $75,000. Assuming you contribute at least 3% to the Supplemental Retirement & Savings Plan, you will receive a 10% contribution from the University for the first $70,600 you earn ($7,060). For the remaining $4,400 in earnings above $70,600, you will receive a 12% contribution ($528). In this example, your total contribution from BU would be $7,588.

The BU Retirement Savings Program At-a-Glance
Employee contributions You are automatically enrolled roughly 30 days following your date of hire at a 3% contribution (you may lower percentage or opt out)
BU contributions You are automatically enrolled in the core and matching contributions after 2 years of eligible service
Integration level $70,600
Required employee
contribution to receive
University core contribution
None
University core contribution Less than age 45 4% 1st $70,600 + 6% over $70,600
Age 45-49 6% 1st $70,600 + 8% over $70,600
Age 50 and above 7% 1st $70,600 + 9% over $70,600
Total University contribution
if employee contributes 3% and receives the 3% BU matching contribution
Less than age 45 7% 1st $70,600 + 9% over $70,600
Age 45-49 9% 1st $70,600 + 11% over $70,600
Age 50 and above 10% 1st $70,600 + 12% over $70,600