Acceptance Rate
9%
Avg. SAT
1580
75th percentile
“At Amherst, you craft your own intellectual path in an intimate liberal arts haven powered by the Five College Consortium, where self-starters thrive amid collaborative quirkiness.”
Amherst, MA
Location
Small City
Campus Setting
You'll step into Amherst College, founded in 1821 by town benefactors who pooled funds to educate promising but penniless young men from the Pioneer Valley—no legacies or wealth required back then. This legacy shapes a school that punches far above its 2,000-student size, fostering a personality that's earnest, intellectually hungry, and unpretentiously eccentric. Students who flourish here are curious autodidacts who love deep discussions over beer pong; those craving urban glamour or vast party scenes often chafe at the quiet intensity. Nestled in leafy Amherst, Massachusetts—a sprawling suburb that's really a quintet of college towns—you gain seamless access to 30,000 peers across five schools via free buses, blending small-school intimacy with surprising breadth. The tradeoff? Winters bury the campus in snow, and Boston's buzz sits two hours away, demanding you make your own fun.
Photo Gallery
+37
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
Test-optional schools still weigh strong scores. Submitting can help.
Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Amherst's classrooms, professors call you by name from day one, thanks to a 7:1 student-faculty ratio that rivals any peer and fuels seminar-style learning where you dissect texts or run labs alongside experts. The open curriculum hands you total control—no core requirements or distributions force your hand—so you might double-major in neuroscience and poetry if it sparks joy, pulling courses from nearby Smith or UMass through the consortium. Standouts include a neuroscience program with its own multimillion-dollar imaging center, economics that feeds Wall Street pipelines, and a Black Studies department that's reshaped the field. Research abounds, with most undergrads co-authoring papers by senior year, but expect rigor: the intellectual culture rewards grit over genius, though some lament limited options in vocational fields like engineering.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
1,914 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
36%
Black / African American
11%
Hispanic / Latino
15%
Asian
16%
Other / Multi-racial
22%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Amherst, MA
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week at Amherst kicks off with morning seminars, segues into club meetings—maybe rehearsing with one of 10 a cappella groups or plotting hikes via the nation's oldest outing club—and winds down at house parties in quirky residences like the vegan co-op or music haven. You'll draw into one of 30 themed houses via lottery, turning strangers into chosen family overnight, which knits a tight-knit vibe that's inclusive yet intense. Traditions like the annual Croquet Ball (black-tie mallets optional) or Five College Film Fest add whimsy, while the social scene skews thoughtful—think poetry slams over ragers—with diverse LGBTQ+ and international pockets thriving. Positives abound in the supportive bubble, but the small size amplifies cliques, and rural isolation plus biting cold can test your resilience if you're not wired for cozy winters.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
New England Small College Athletic Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Dedicated point of contact for veteran support services
Yes
Recognized student veteran organization
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$4,625
$30K – $48K
$5,328
$48K – $75K
$7,077
$75K – $110K
$17,601
$110K+
$45,564
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
97%
4 Years Graduation Rate
88%
6 Years Graduation Rate
94%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$77,644
97% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Amherst College and return in the fall. 88% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 94% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
88%
4-5 years
6%
6-8 years
1%
Non-grad
5%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$63,500
Acceptance
9%
Undergrads
1,914
4-Year Grad Rate
88%
Endowment
$2.6B
Amherst, MA 01002-5000