Amherst vs. Providence

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

Amherst Providence
Location Amherst, MA Providence, RI
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 1,898 4,473
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #121
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu providence.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Providence
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $56,980
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $56,980
Room & Board $16,750 $16,540
Avg Net Price $21,367 $43,970
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $30,971
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 81%

Admission

Amherst Providence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 11,129
Admitted 1,079 5,874
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 52.8%
Enrolled % 43.3% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.47
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/35 28/32
SAT Range 1420/1550 1260/1420
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 Providence
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Amherst Providence
Graduation Rate 96% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $68,000
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $279

Diversity

Amherst Providence
% Men 48% 45%
% Women 52% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 77%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Amherst Providence
% In-State 13% 8%
% Out-of-State 74% 90%

Campus

Amherst Providence
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

  • Providence College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (4,473 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Providence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Providence?

  • Amherst College is 11.4% more expensive to attend than Providence for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $56,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at Amherst than Providence College ($63,500.00 vs. $56,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Providence ($21,367 vs. $43,970)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Providence College are 1.3% lower than costs at Amherst College ($16,540 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Providence College than Amherst College (81% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 89.5% larger than aid received Providence College ($58,693 vs. $30,971)

Amherst vs. Providence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Providence (3.47)
  • Providence has a higher acceptance rate (52.8%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Providence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Providence College (96% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $14,000 more per year than Providence graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $68,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $14,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Providence graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than Providence graduates. ($134 vs. $279)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Providence students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

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