Although BC and BU are pricey nonetheless they're top colleges and have a lot of notable professors. Their prices mostly reflect the geographic area. But that price per year for BC is really good.
Colleges raise their damn tuition about 5-7% annually. Loans through the government have helped cause this inflation. If Obama wanted to help he wouldn't have raised student loan interest rate from 3.4% and then continue to raise them.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/times-up-student-loan-interest-rates-set-to-double/
Even so. You're really receiving the same education. I knew a professor who taught at a city college and taught at a prestigious private university. He told me his lectures and tests were exactly the same (for the same course). He stated he didn't teach the students at the private university anything different or more special than he taught the students at the city college.
Sure, a big name university looks better on paper, but youre still receiving pretty much the same education. Its just a way for certain academics to make a shit more money.
But, yes, I think youre correct that it mostly reflect the geographical area.
$60K for Boston college is just still crazy.