Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, NY · Private nonprofit · Large suburb · Website

Admission rate: 19%; Very selective
Average net price: $36,924; per year, after aid
Graduation rate: 89%
Median earnings: $75,532; 10 years after enrolling

Vassar College is a private nonprofit college in Poughkeepsie, NY with 2,444 undergraduates. It admits 19% of applicants, and admitted students average 1494 on the SAT. The average net price after aid is $36,924 per year ($19,674 for families earning under $30,000). 89% of students graduate, and graduates earn a median of $75,532 ten years after enrolling.

private nonprofit college

Admissions

Admission rate: 19%; Fall 2024
Testing policy: Test optional; Fall 2024
Applicants: 12,145; Fall 2023
Admitted: 2,153; Fall 2023
Yield: 32%; of admitted students enrolled

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

SAT Reading & Writing730–770

200800

SAT Math720–780

200800

ACT Composite33–35

136

What Vassar College looks at

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

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

Cost

Cost of attendance: $91,520; sticker price, per year
Tuition & fees: $74,265

Net price by family income

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

$0–30k$19,674
$30–48k$10,022
$48–75k$13,428
$75–110k$17,576
$110k+$50,834

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

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 89%
Freshman retention: 95%
Median earnings: $75,532; 10 yrs after enrolling
Median debt: $19,000; at graduation

Students

Undergraduates: 2,444
Student–faculty ratio: 7:1
Receive Pell grants: 24%

White54%
Hispanic14%
Black4%
Asian12%

Vassar College FAQ

What is Vassar College's acceptance rate?+

Vassar College admits 19% of applicants, which makes it very selective.

What SAT score do you need for Vassar College?+

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 730–770 on SAT Reading and Writing and 720–780 on SAT Math; the average total is 1494.

What ACT score do you need for Vassar College?+

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

Is Vassar College test optional?+

Test optional (considered if submitted).

How many students apply to Vassar College?+

In Fall 2023, 12,145 students applied to Vassar College and 2,153 were admitted; 689 enrolled.

Does Vassar College consider legacy status?+

Yes. Vassar College reported that legacy status is considered in admissions (Fall 2023).

Does Vassar College require an essay?+

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

How much does Vassar College cost?+

The sticker cost of attendance is $91,520 per year, but the average net price after grants and scholarships is $36,924.

What is Vassar College's graduation rate?+

89% 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 197133 · How we use this data