Acceptance Rate
8%
Avg. SAT
1570
75th percentile
“In the shadow of the Berkshires, Williams wraps you in Oxford-style tutorials and mountain adventures, forging deep thinkers who hike as fiercely as they debate.”
Williamstown, MA
Location
Town
Campus Setting
You'll step into Williams College, founded in 1793 by the bequest of Colonel Ephraim Williams, who perished charging French lines in the French and Indian War—his will demanded the school bear his name and train ministers for the frontier. This legacy shapes a place where self-starters who crave collaboration over competition thrive: imagine a student body of 2,200 sharp, quirky intellectuals who bond over late-night problem sets or impromptu trail runs rather than cutthroat rankings. The school's personality feels like a cozy New England village—collegiate, unpretentious, and fiercely loyal—with Williamstown as its pint-sized arts haven, home to the Clark Art Institute and MASS MoCA nearby. But here's the tradeoff: this fringe-town isolation means you're three hours from Boston or NYC, perfect for focus but tough if you crave urban pulse or diverse nightlife; winters bury you in snow, testing your grit.
Photo Gallery
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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
Picture yourself in a Williams tutorial: two students, one professor dissecting Plato or quantum mechanics in a seminar that echoes Oxford's intensity, where you argue, rewrite, and rethink weekly amid a 6:1 ratio that ensures professors remember your quirks better than most Ivies' TAs ever could. Strengths shine in economics (feeding Wall Street pipelines), computer science (with cutting-edge AI labs), art history (bolstered by the Clark's collection), and sciences where undergrads snag real research gigs early. The intellectual culture rewards bold questions over rote memorization, but expect punishing workloads—no hand-holding here, more selective than 98% of U.S. colleges at 8.5% acceptance.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
2,115 undergrad • 49 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
47%
Black / African American
5%
Hispanic / Latino
13%
Asian
14%
Other / Multi-racial
21%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Williamstown, MA
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week at Williams unfolds in a rhythm of 8 a.m. tutorials, afternoon intramurals (where Ephs dominate DIII sports like hockey), and evenings in your residence hall 'village'—choose from 25 quirky options like the log-cabin-style Mark Hopkins or eco-focused houses, all on-campus for four years fostering instant community without Greek life's cliques. Traditions glue it together: bells toll at dawn on secret Mountain Day for mass hikes up Pine Cobble, or Purplmania Week turns the campus into a purple frenzy before football clashes with Amherst. The vibe buzzes collaborative and outdoorsy, with 150+ clubs from ultimate frisbee to debating society, but challenges hit hard—brutal Berkshire blizzards confine you indoors, social scene skews earnest over wild parties, and remoteness amplifies cabin fever for extroverts needing constant stimulation.
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
No
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Member of DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU
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
$718
$30K – $48K
$360
$48K – $75K
$1,312
$75K – $110K
$10,270
$110K+
$35,335
Apply for Financial Aid
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
97%
4 Years Graduation Rate
88%
6 Years Graduation Rate
94%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$88,665
97% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Williams 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
$61,450
Acceptance
8%
Undergrads
2,115
4-Year Grad Rate
88%
Endowment
$3.2B
Williamstown, MA 01267