Acceptance Rate
13%
Avg. SAT
1530
75th percentile
“Bates College immerses you in Maine's rugged outdoors while forging tight-knit scholars who prioritize experiences over extravagance.”
Lewiston, ME
Location
Small City
Campus Setting
You'll step into Bates College, founded in 1855 by Free Will Baptists as New England's first coeducational college, a bold move amid abolitionist fervor that set its progressive tone from day one. Textile magnate Benjamin E. Bates bankrolled it after rejecting John D. Rockefeller's strings-attached millions, preserving its fiercely independent streak. This legacy attracts outdoorsy intellectuals—think hikers who debate philosophy on Mount David trails, collaborative types who shun cutthroat competition for genuine camaraderie. Bates exudes a quirky, unpretentious vibe: flannel-clad students paddleboarding on Lake Andrews or cheering Bobcat hockey in a 1,958-undergrad bubble. But Lewiston, your small-city home base, trades glamour for grit—a former mill town rebounding with a vibrant Somali community and Androscoggin River views, yet it lacks big-city buzz and demands resilience against brutal Maine winters that bury campus under snow from November to April. If you crave urban pulse or mild weather, look elsewhere; Bates rewards the hardy who embrace isolation as fuel for focus.
Photo Gallery
+31
+23
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Bates' classrooms, expect professors who know your name—thanks to a 10:1 student-faculty ratio that means your bio lab TA is often the department chair themselves, fostering mentorship over lectures. You dive into strengths like neuroscience, where undergrads co-author papers on brain plasticity, or environmental studies leveraging Maine's forests for hands-on climate research; the interdisciplinary rhetoric program sharpens your writing through real-world advocacy projects. Short January term (Short Term) lets you chase passions, from blacksmithing to startup incubators, without grades hanging over you. Yet with no graduate students, research shines for motivated undergrads, but less-established fields like engineering force transfers or dual degrees elsewhere. Compared to peers, Bates' intellectual culture feels intimate and rigorous, more selective than 90% of liberal arts colleges, but you'll trade massive endowments for personalized attention.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
1,760 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
61%
Black / African American
4%
Hispanic / Latino
9%
Asian
7%
Other / Multi-racial
19%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Lewiston, ME
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
Picture your week at Bates: Monday seminars bleed into Tuesday Outing Club trips scaling Katahdin, Wednesday trivia nights at the Den, and Friday bonfires circling Lake Andrews for Pond Day's ritualistic plunge into frigid waters—a tradition born from 1920s rebellion. No Greek life means social scenes orbit 120 clubs, a cappella groups like the Crackers, or spontaneous Ultimate Frisbee on the quad; 95% of students live on campus in cozy quads like Frye House, building lifelong bonds over late-night ramen. The vibe skews progressive and outdoorsy—think sustainability fairs and voter drives—but challenges include cabin fever from -20°F winters confining you indoors, and Lewiston's dive bars over nightlife glitz. Partiers might wilt in this substance-light, experience-rich scene, but if you thrive on community hikes and intellectual pub quizzes, you'll never feel lonely.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
New England Small College Athletic Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
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
$4,735
$30K – $48K
$5,268
$48K – $75K
$9,925
$75K – $110K
$23,645
$110K+
$40,663
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
91%
4 Years Graduation Rate
88%
6 Years Graduation Rate
92%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$69,498
91% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Bates College and return in the fall. 88% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 92% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
88%
4-6 years
4%
Non-grad
8%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$61,066
Acceptance
13%
Undergrads
1,760
4-Year Grad Rate
88%
Endowment
$476M
Lewiston, ME 04240
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