Amherst College

Amherst, MA · Private nonprofit · Small city · Website

Admission rate: 9.0%; Extremely selective
Average net price: $19,536; per year, after aid
Graduation rate: 93%
Median earnings: $95,161; 10 years after enrolling

Amherst College is a private nonprofit college in Amherst, MA with 1,911 undergraduates. It admits 9.0% of applicants, and admitted students average 1533 on the SAT. The average net price after aid is $19,536 per year ($2,424 for families earning under $30,000). 93% of students graduate, and graduates earn a median of $95,161 ten years after enrolling.

private nonprofit college

Admissions

Admission rate: 9.0%; Fall 2024
Testing policy: Test optional; Fall 2024
Applicants: 12,727; Fall 2023
Admitted: 1,250; Fall 2023
Yield: 39%; of admitted students enrolled

Middle 50% of admitted students (Fall 2024). A quarter scored below the band and a quarter above.

SAT Reading & Writing740–780

200800

SAT Math750–800

200800

ACT Composite33–35

136

What Amherst College looks at

As reported by the college to IPEDS (Fall 2023).

High school recordRequired
High school GPAConsidered
College-prep courseworkConsidered
Class rankConsidered
Essay or personal statementRequired
RecommendationsRequired
Demonstrated competenciesConsidered
Legacy statusNot considered
Work experienceConsidered
English proficiency testRequired

Cost

Cost of attendance: $90,670; sticker price, per year
Tuition & fees: $73,830

Net price by family income

Average yearly cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid.

$0–30k$2,424
$30–48k$3,063
$48–75k$13,814
$75–110k$17,999
$110k+$49,700

Get a personal estimate with Amherst College's net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 93%
Freshman retention: 97%
Median earnings: $95,161; 10 yrs after enrolling
Median debt: $13,250; at graduation

Students

Undergraduates: 1,911
Student–faculty ratio: 6:1
Receive Pell grants: 25%

White36%
Hispanic14%
Black9%
Asian17%

Amherst College FAQ

What is Amherst College's acceptance rate?+

Amherst College admits 9.0% of applicants, which makes it extremely selective.

What SAT score do you need for Amherst College?+

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 740–780 on SAT Reading and Writing and 750–800 on SAT Math; the average total is 1533.

What ACT score do you need for Amherst College?+

The middle 50% ACT composite range for admitted students is 33–35.

Is Amherst College test optional?+

Test optional (considered if submitted).

How many students apply to Amherst College?+

In Fall 2023, 12,727 students applied to Amherst College and 1,250 were admitted; 488 enrolled.

Does Amherst College consider legacy status?+

No. Amherst College reported that legacy status is not considered in admissions (Fall 2023).

Does Amherst College require an essay?+

Amherst College reported that an essay or personal statement is required for admission (Fall 2023).

How much does Amherst College cost?+

The sticker cost of attendance is $90,670 per year, but the average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,536.

What is Amherst College's graduation rate?+

93% of full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.

Sources

Admission rate, test scores, cost, students, and outcomes: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (Most Recent Institution-Level Data), released 2026-10-15. Admissions figures are for Fall 2024, costs for 2024-25, and earnings are measured in 2023.
Applicants, admitted, yield, and admission factors: IPEDS Admissions survey (ADM2023), Fall 2023.
IPEDS unit ID 164465 · How we use this data