Amherst vs. Houghton College

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

Amherst Houghton College
Location Amherst, MA Houghton, NY
Setting Town Fringe Remote Rural
Enrollment 1,898 833
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu houghton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Houghton College
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $15,900
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $15,900
Room & Board $16,750 $10,336
Avg Net Price $21,367 $21,550
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $8,587
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 99%

Admission

Amherst Houghton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 974
Admitted 1,079 750
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 77%
Enrolled % 43.3% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.25
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35
SAT Range 1420/1550 1110/1320
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

Academics

Amherst Houghton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst Houghton College
Graduation Rate 96% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $263

Diversity

Amherst Houghton College
% Men 48% 37%
% Women 52% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 78%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Amherst Houghton College
% In-State 13% 58%
% Out-of-State 74% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Amherst College is larger than than Houghton College based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 833 students)

Amherst vs. Houghton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Houghton College?

  • Amherst College is 299.4% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 299.4% higher at Amherst than Houghton College ($63,500.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Houghton College ($21,367 vs. $21,550)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 62.1% lower than costs at Amherst College ($10,336 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Amherst College (99% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 583.5% larger than aid received Houghton College ($58,693 vs. $8,587)

Amherst vs. Houghton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 341 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Houghton College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.66 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Houghton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Houghton College? 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 Houghton College and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Houghton College (96% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $37,700 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $44,300)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $12,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Houghton College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $25,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $129 less per month on federal student loans than Houghton College graduates. ($134 vs. $263)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College 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/