The InkwellU.S. colleges · by the numbers
  1. The Inkwell
  2. Massachusetts
  3. Amherst College
Campus of Amherst College, Amherst, MAAmherst College logo
Amherst, MACity: smallZIP 01002Founded 1821
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Founded
1821
Carnegie class
Baccalaureate: arts & sciences focus
Highest degree
Bachelor's degree
Federal aid since
1965
Logo: Amherst College · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
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%
average net price / year
$19,536 $90,670
after grants · sticker cost struck through
$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

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$27,19664%$73,794
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$28,05371%$59,623
Williams College
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$15,15795%$95,954
Simmons University
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$23,44477%$79,784

Same Carnegie class, similar price

CollegeNet priceGrad.Earnings
Pomona College
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$18,97892%$84,281
Colby College
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$19,83587%$88,776
Swarthmore College
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$17,39292%$86,311
Bowdoin College
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$15,59593%$90,153
Wesleyan University
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$23,01490%$86,811
Centre College
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$19,98079%$66,582
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 164465. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q49165.