- The Inkwell
- Massachusetts
- Amherst College


Amherst, MACity: smallZIP 01002Founded 1821
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1821
- Carnegie class
- Baccalaureate: arts & sciences focus
- Highest degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.amherst.edu
MassachusettsPrivate nonprofit
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private nonprofit college in Amherst, Massachusetts, with 1,911 undergraduates. It admits 9.0% of applicants, graduates 92% within six years and costs $19,536 a year after aid.
92%graduate
Admission rate9.0%
Retention97%
4-year graduation73%
Pell Grant share25%
Federal loans12%
$19,536net price / year
9.0%admission rate
1533average SAT
92%graduate in 6 years
$95,161median earnings, 10 yrs
$13,250median debt
#88 of 1,704 for earnings#832 of 1,739 for lowest net price#46 of 1,738 for graduation rate#28 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $90,670tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $73,830
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $73,830
- Average net price
- $19,536national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$2,424
$30,001–48,000$3,063
$48,001–75,000$13,814
$75,001–110,000$17,999
$110,001+$49,700
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 9.0%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1533
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 740–780
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 750–800
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 33–35
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college9.0%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college97%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college92%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college25%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 92%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 73%
- First-year retention
- 97%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 94%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $83,643
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $95,161middle 50%: $63,047–$179,119
- Median debt at graduation
- $13,250
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$179,119
Median, Amherst College$95,161
Lower quarter$63,047
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 1,911
- Part-time
- 0%
- Women / men
- 55% / 45%
- Average age at entry
- 19.7
- First-generation students
- 21%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 25%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 6 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 97%
- Average faculty salary
- $15,606 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $36,411
- Endowment, end of year
- $3,549,576,398
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White36%
Hispanic14%
Black8.9%
Asian16%
Two or more races8.6%
U.S. nonresident13%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Unknown2.5%
17 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Social sciences20%
Biological & biomedical sciences12%
Computer & information sciences11%
Mathematics & statistics7.8%
Area, ethnic & gender studies7.4%
Psychology7.3%
Physical sciences6.2%
English language & literature5.4%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in Massachusetts
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel College Boston, MA | $27,196 | 64% | $73,794 |
| Curry College Milton, MA | $30,155 | 50% | $69,321 |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Norton, MA | $31,147 | 72% | $71,967 |
| Springfield College Springfield, MA | $28,053 | 71% | $59,623 |
| Williams College Williamstown, MA | $15,157 | 95% | $95,954 |
| Simmons University Boston, MA | $23,444 | 77% | $79,784 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomona College Claremont, CA | $18,978 | 92% | $84,281 |
| Colby College Waterville, ME | $19,835 | 87% | $88,776 |
| Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | $17,392 | 92% | $86,311 |
| Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | $15,595 | 93% | $90,153 |
| Wesleyan University Middletown, CT | $23,014 | 90% | $86,811 |
| Centre College Danville, KY | $19,980 | 79% | $66,582 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 164465. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q49165.