Amherst vs. Wellesley

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

Amherst Wellesley
Location Amherst, MA Wellesley, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 2,447
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #17
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu wellesley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Wellesley
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $61,584
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $61,584
Room & Board $16,750 $19,080
Avg Net Price $21,367 $21,362
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $61,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 59%

Admission

Amherst Wellesley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 8,491
Admitted 1,079 1,152
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 13.6%
Enrolled % 43.3% 50.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/35 33/35
SAT Range 1420/1550 1430/1550
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 8, 2024

Academics

Amherst Wellesley
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Amherst Wellesley
Graduation Rate 96% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $68,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $8,900
Median Loan Payment $134 $92

Diversity

Amherst Wellesley
% Men 48% 1%
% Women 52% 99%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 40%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 10% 12%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Amherst Wellesley
% In-State 13% 11%
% Out-of-State 74% 73%

Campus

Amherst Wellesley
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

  • Wellesley College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,447 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Wellesley?

  • Amherst College is 3.1% more expensive to attend than Wellesley for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at Amherst than Wellesley College ($63,500.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Amherst ($21,362 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 13.9% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($16,750 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wellesley College than Amherst College (59% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 4.5% larger than aid received Amherst College ($61,328 vs. $58,693)

Amherst vs. Wellesley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 82 points higher than at Wellesley (1369)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Wellesley (3.86)
  • Wellesley has a higher acceptance rate (13.6%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Wellesley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Wellesley College (96% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $13,900 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $4,075 lower median federal student loan debt than Amherst graduates. ($8,900 vs. $12,975)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Amherst graduates. ($92 vs. $134)
  • More Wellesley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 83%)

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