Amherst College

www.amherst.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$66,650

4.96% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$17,965

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

9.82%

12,727 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

1,910

100% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

93.4%

440 Graduates

About

Amherst College is a higher education institution located in Hampshire County, MA. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Amherst College were General Mathematics (81 degrees awarded), Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (69 degrees), and Other Research & Experimental Psychology (66 degrees).

In 2023, 701 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Amherst College. 50.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 49.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (301 degrees), 2.79 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (108 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Amherst College is $66,650, which is $37,370 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Amherst College was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 130 total borrowers.

Photo by Thought Catalog

Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Amherst College is $66,650, which is $37,370 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $17,965.

In 2023, 60% of undergraduate students attending Amherst College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 9% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$66,650

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Amherst College was $66,650. The cost of tuition at Amherst College is $37,370 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($29,280).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Amherst College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$17,965

2023 Value

15.9%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Amherst College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,965. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Amherst College grew by 15.9%.

This chart compares the average net price of Amherst College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,750

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Amherst College was of $16,750 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 4.04% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Amherst College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

60%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

60% of undergraduate students at Amherst College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 1.64% with respect to 2022, when 61% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Amherst College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Amherst College was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 130 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Amherst College received 12,727 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 14.4% annual growth. Out of those 12,727 applicants, 1,250 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 9.82% acceptance rate.

There were 1,910 students enrolled at Amherst College in 2023. 38% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Amherst College has an overall enrollment yield of 39%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

9.82%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

1,250

Accepted Out of 12,727

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Amherst College was 9.82% (1,250 admissions from 12,727 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 7.26%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 14.4%, while admissions grew by 15.8%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Amherst College (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

38%

Submission Percentage (2023)

187

Scores Submitted (2023)

38% of enrolled first-time students at Amherst College in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Amherst College had a total enrollment of 1,910 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Amherst College is 1,910 students and the part-time enrollment is 0. This means that 100% of students enrolled at Amherst College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Amherst College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 35.9% White, 15.5% Asian, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Black or African American, 8.43% Two or More Races, 0.209% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0524% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Amherst College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (18.8%), followed by White Female (18.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.9%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

100%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Amherst College in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,910 students. The full-time enrollment at Amherst College is 1,910 and the part-time enrollment is 0. This means that 100% of students enrolled at Amherst College are enrolled full-time compared with 78.8% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Amherst College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

97%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Amherst College was 97%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (74%), Amherst College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Amherst College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
685 enrolled students
Asian
297 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
288 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Amherst College is 35.9% White, 15.5% Asian, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Black or African American, 8.43% Two or More Races, 0.209% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0524% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 53.2% White, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.9% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 24 students (1.26%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 7 more women than men received degrees from Amherst College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Amherst College is white (301 degrees awarded). There were 2.79 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (108 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Amherst College is General Mathematics (81 degrees awarded), followed by Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (69 degrees) and Other Research & Experimental Psychology (66 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Amherst College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Cultural & Gender Studies (33 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (96 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (36 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Postsecondary teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Amherst College are Postsecondary teachers (168,988 people), Other managers (128,250 people), Software developers (113,807 people), Secondary school teachers (108,027 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (89,159 people).

The most specialized majors at Amherst College in 2023 are Cultural & Gender Studies (33 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (96 degrees), Language & Linguistics (36 degrees), Physical Sciences (45 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (18 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Amherst College are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Podiatrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at Amherst College are Cultural & Gender Studies (33 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (96 degrees), Language & Linguistics (36 degrees), Physical Sciences (45 degrees), and Philosophy and Religious Studies (18 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Amherst College are Elementary & secondary schools (5,586,329 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,275,256 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (2,452,532 people), Computer Systems Design (2,343,824 people), and Construction (1,303,670 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Amherst College.

Most Common (2023)

General Mathematics
81 degrees awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
69 degrees awarded
Other Research & Experimental Psychology
66 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Amherst College was General Mathematics with 81 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Amherst College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

347

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

354

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 347 degrees were awarded to men at Amherst College, which is 0.98 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (354).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Amherst College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 45 degrees were awarded to men at Amherst College in Computer Science, which is 4.5 times more than the 10 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 40 degrees were awarded to men at Amherst College in Other Research & Experimental Psychology, which is 1.54 times more than the 26 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

87%

100% Completion Time

92%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 87% of students graduating from Amherst College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 92% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 94% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Two or More Races Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Amherst College is Female and Two or More Races (100% graduation rate). Across all Baccalaureate Colleges, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.05% of graduates (9 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
301 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
108 degrees awarded
Asian
99 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Amherst College is white (301 degrees awarded). There were 2.79 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (108 degrees).

3% of degree recipients (21 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
154 degrees awarded
White Male
147 degrees awarded
Asian Female
56 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Amherst College is white female (154 degrees awarded). There were 1.05 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (147 degrees).

Operations

Amherst College has an endowment valued at nearly $3.34B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 156M (4.68%) compared to the 4.79% average return (2.46M on 51.4M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2023, Amherst College had a total salary expenditure of 265M. Amherst College employs 113 Professors, 80 Assistant professors and 45 Associate professors. Most academics at Amherst College are Male Professor (65), Female Professor (48), and Female Assistant professor (45).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Amherst College are: Service, with 202 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 126 employees, and Management with 115 employees.

Endowment

$3.34B

2023 Endowment

0.596%

growth from 2022

Amherst College has an endowment valued at about $3.34B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Amherst College grew 0.596% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $3.29B higher than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Amherst College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$113M

2023 Salaries

7.84%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Amherst College paid a median of $113M in salaries, which represents 42.6% of their overall expenditure ($265M) and a 7.84% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.99% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 0.85% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Baccalaureate Colleges is 15.7M (37.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$36.9M

Instructional Salaries

282

Number of Employees

In 2023, Amherst College paid a total of $36.9M to 282 employees working as instructors, which represents 32.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $552k (3.27%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

113 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

202 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Amherst College were Professor with 113 employees, Assistant professor with 80 employees, and Associate professor with 45 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Amherst College were Service with 202 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 126 employees, and Management with 115 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Amherst College was Male Professor with 65 employees, Female Professor with 48 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 45 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Amherst College.

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