Amherst vs. Wheaton College

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

Amherst Wheaton College
Location Amherst, MA Norton, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 1,667
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #180
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu wheatoncollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Wheaton College
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $59,750
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $59,750
Room & Board $16,750 $14,800
Avg Net Price $21,367 $32,863
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $41,665
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 98%

Admission

Amherst Wheaton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 4,031
Admitted 1,079 3,204
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 79.5%
Enrolled % 43.3% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 27/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 1260/1390
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 Feb 15, 2024

Academics

Amherst Wheaton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Ethnic Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst Wheaton College
Graduation Rate 96% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $268

Diversity

Amherst Wheaton College
% Men 48% 37%
% Women 52% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 67%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Amherst Wheaton College
% In-State 13% 38%
% Out-of-State 74% 57%

Campus

Amherst Wheaton 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 Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,667 students)

Amherst vs. Wheaton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Wheaton College?

  • Amherst College is 6.3% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $59,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at Amherst than Wheaton College ($63,500.00 vs. $59,750.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Wheaton College ($21,367 vs. $32,863)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 13.2% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,800 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Amherst College (98% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 40.9% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($58,693 vs. $41,665)

Amherst vs. Wheaton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Wheaton College (3.48)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (79.5%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Wheaton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Wheaton 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 Wheaton College and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Wheaton College (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $28,300 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $53,700)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $13,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $26,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($134 vs. $268)
  • More Wheaton College 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/