Yale vs. Amherst

Should I go to Yale University or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Yale or Amherst is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Yale University vs. Amherst College comparison
Yale University Amherst College College 3 College 4
Yale University Amherst College
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Overview

Yale Amherst
Location New Haven, CT Amherst, MA
Setting Midsize City Town Fringe
Enrollment 14,776 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #6 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Yale Amherst
Tuition (In State) $62,250 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $62,250 $63,500
Room & Board $18,450 $16,750
Avg Net Price $18,647 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $63,523 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 58%

Admission

Yale Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,060 14,864
Admitted 2,289 1,079
Acceptance Rate 4.6% 7.3%
Enrolled % 67.9% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1420/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

Yale Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Yale Amherst
Graduation Rate 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $139 $134

Diversity

Yale Amherst
% Men 47% 48%
% Women 53% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 42%
% Black 7% 12%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Yale Amherst
% In-State 6% 13%
% Out-of-State 80% 74%

Campus

Yale Amherst
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Yale University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (14,776 students vs. 1,898 students)

Yale vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 2% more expensive to attend than Yale for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $62,250.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Amherst than Yale University ($63,500.00 vs. $62,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Yale University than Amherst ($18,647 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 10.1% lower than costs at Yale University ($16,750 vs. $18,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Yale University (58% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 8.2% larger than aid received Amherst College ($63,523 vs. $58,693)

Yale vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Yale or Amherst? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Amherst or Yale .

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 47 points higher than at Amherst (1451)
  • Incoming Yale students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Amherst (33)
  • Accepted freshman Yale students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Amherst (3.91)
  • Amherst has a higher acceptance rate (7.3%) than Yale (4.6%)

Yale vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale or Amherst? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Amherst and Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than Amherst College (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $36,400 more per year than Amherst graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $82,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $525 lower median federal student loan debt than Yale graduates. ($12,975 vs. $13,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Yale graduates. ($134 vs. $139)
  • More Yale graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/