Amherst vs. Drexel

Should I go to Amherst College or Drexel University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Drexel 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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Amherst College vs. Drexel University comparison
Amherst College Drexel University College 3 College 4
Amherst College Drexel University
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Overview

Amherst Drexel
Location Amherst, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 1,898 22,344
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu drexel.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Drexel
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $56,595
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $56,595
Room & Board $16,750 $16,980
Avg Net Price $21,367 $39,267
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $33,861
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 100%

Admission

Amherst Drexel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 37,040
Admitted 1,079 29,487
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 79.6%
Enrolled % 43.3% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 27/32
SAT Range 1420/1550 1230/1430
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 15, 2024

Academics

Amherst Drexel
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst Drexel
Graduation Rate 96% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $77,400
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $26,243
Median Loan Payment $134 $271

Diversity

Amherst Drexel
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 54%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Drexel
% In-State 13% 44%
% Out-of-State 74% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Drexel University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (22,344 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Drexel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Drexel?

  • Amherst College is 12.2% more expensive to attend than Drexel for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $56,595.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.2% higher at Amherst than Drexel University ($63,500.00 vs. $56,595.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Drexel ($21,367 vs. $39,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 1.4% lower than costs at Drexel University ($16,750 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drexel University than Amherst College (100% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 73.3% larger than aid received Drexel University ($58,693 vs. $33,861)

Amherst vs. Drexel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 237 points higher than at Drexel (1214)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Drexel (28)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Drexel (3.67)
  • Drexel has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Drexel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Drexel? 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 Drexel and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Drexel University (96% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $4,600 more per year than Drexel graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $77,400)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $13,268 lower median federal student loan debt than Drexel graduates. ($12,975 vs. $26,243)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $137 less per month on federal student loans than Drexel graduates. ($134 vs. $271)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Drexel students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 77%)

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