Acceptance Rate
25%
Avg. SAT
1320
75th percentile
“Spelman College forges fearless Black women leaders in Atlanta's electric pulse, blending HBCU sisterhood with urban ambition.”
Atlanta, GA
Location
Large City
Campus Setting
You step into Spelman College, the nation's oldest HBCU for women, founded in 1881 by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles as a seminary for the daughters of freed slaves—barely two decades after emancipation. Nestled in Atlanta's historic West End, it shares the Atlanta University Center consortium with Morehouse and Clark Atlanta, creating a buzzing intellectual hub amid civil rights landmarks like the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. Spelman's personality radiates unyielding empowerment: think poised activists, future CEOs, and artists who demand space at every table. You'll thrive here if you're a Black woman hungry for mentorship, cultural affirmation, and real-world impact, but it demands self-motivation—the all-women environment sharpens focus yet skips co-ed dynamics, and Atlanta's sprawl means navigating city grit alongside glamour.
Photo Gallery
+29
+21
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 Spelman's intimate classrooms, where the 11:1 student-faculty ratio feels like a personal advisory board, professors push you to dissect systems of power through lenses like African Diaspora studies or women's leadership. Standouts include the dual-degree engineering program with Georgia Tech, psychology labs tackling mental health in Black communities, and the Economics department that funnels grads into policy think tanks. Research kicks off early via the Undergraduate Research Scholars program, but tradeoffs hit: as a small liberal arts college, you won't find massive labs or every STEM niche, so specialized fields like astrophysics route through consortium partners, demanding initiative to shuttle across campus lines.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
3,417 undergrad • 0 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
White
3%
Black / African American
74%
Asian
1%
Other / Multi-racial
22%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Atlanta, GA
Your week at Spelman pulses with sisterhood—mornings in residence halls buzzing with study groups, afternoons at Cascade rehearsals (the iconic student fashion show that packs 3,000 fans), and weekends spilling into Atlanta's music scene or AUC parties with Morehouse men nearby. Traditions like the annual Honors Convocation and worship at nearby Friendship Baptist Church knit tight-knit bonds, while over 90 clubs—from the Glee Club's global tours to Model UN—spark your voice. Yet challenges simmer: mandatory on-campus living for underclasswomen curbs off-campus freedom, humid summers test resolve, and the urban edge requires street smarts amid occasional safety alerts, balancing vibrant energy with vigilance.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
Yes
Air Force
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
$24,944
$30K – $48K
$26,329
$48K – $75K
$29,141
$75K – $110K
$30,510
$110K+
$32,570
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
94%
4 Years Graduation Rate
72%
6 Years Graduation Rate
81%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$59,993
94% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Spelman College and return in the fall. 72% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 81% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
72%
4-5 years
9%
6-8 years
2%
Non-grad
17%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$25,880
Acceptance
25%
Undergrads
3,417
4-Year Grad Rate
72%
Endowment
$585M
Atlanta, GA 30314-4399
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