Amherst College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Amherst, Massachusetts. It enrolls 1,911 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
82/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes98
Value70
Affordability26
Selectivity97
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 9%, Amherst College is among the most selective colleges in the country.
Acceptance Rate
9%
Highly Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1490 – 1580
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
33 – 35
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Amherst College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
1.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Amherst College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $23,367 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$23,367
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
8%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$70,480
Room & Board (on-campus)
$18,390
Room & Board (off-campus)
$18,390
Books & Supplies
$0
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,800
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,800
Total Cost of Attendance
$87,640
Application fee: $65 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$1,086
$30,001 – $48,000
$1,570
$48,001 – $75,000
$17,478
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,639
Over $110,000
$47,521
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,20010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$13,740Medianpercentile
$19,50075%percentile
$25,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $10,810
↓ $2,930
No Pell $13,000
↓ $740
Female students $12,000
↓ $1,740
Male students $12,000
↓ $1,740
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,254, less than completers ($13,740), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
87% of full-time students who enrolled at Amherst College graduate within six years, and 97% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
87%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
97%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Amherst College earn a median of $77,644 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$77,644
Earning > $25K
88%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$70,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$95,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $24,100, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
10.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 94% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Amherst College is home to 1,911 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,911
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
21%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 36.4%696
Asian 16.5%315
Hispanic 13.8%264
International 13.1%251
Black 8.9%170
Other 8.8%168
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Amherst College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityAmherst, Massachusetts
Housing
Strongly residential1,948 beds for 1,911 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Amherst College offers
a varied set of programs:
34 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Amherst College is 7:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
7:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$4.0B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$130,861
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
282 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
113
40%
$169,964
Associate Professors
45
16%
$126,960
Assistant Professors
80
28%
$99,543
Lecturers
28
10%
$94,589
No Rank
16
6%
$85,738
Pros & Cons of Amherst College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Amherst College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Highly selective, strong peer cohort
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Strong six-year graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Highly competitive admissions, many strong applicants are rejected
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Amherst College is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students seeking a highly selective peer group.
Frequently Asked Questions about Amherst College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Amherst College.
Is Amherst College hard to get into?
Yes. Amherst College is among the most selective colleges in the United States, with an acceptance rate of 9%. Successful applicants typically have top-decile test scores and strong academic, extracurricular, and recommendation profiles.
What is the acceptance rate at Amherst College?
Amherst College has an acceptance rate of 9%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Amherst College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Amherst College scored between 1490 and 1580 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Amherst College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Amherst College scored between 33 and 35 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Amherst College cost?
The average net price after aid at Amherst College is $23,367 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Amherst College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $77,644 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $23,367 per year. That's roughly 3.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Amherst College known for?
Amherst College is best known for its programs in Mathematics, Economics, Experimental Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Amherst College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Amherst College are $77,644, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Amherst College accredited?
Yes. Amherst College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Amherst College?
Amherst College enrolls 1,911 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Amherst College?
Amherst College graduates 87% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Amherst College a public or private college?
Amherst College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Amherst College located?
Amherst College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts.
What programs does Amherst College offer?
Amherst College offers 34 distinct programs. The most popular include Mathematics, Economics, Experimental Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Amherst College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Amherst College is 7:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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