9%
Acceptance Rate
$70,480
Avg Cost (In-State)
$70,480
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
93.7%
Graduation Rate
1,911
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to political science collegesBy the numbers
Amherst College, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 2
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Decision)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
2
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Available
Essays: Common Application personal essay required
Note: Interview is evaluative and recommended but not required
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$62,537
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$77,644
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
94%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics. | $78,500 | $124,324 | 32 |
| Economics. | $90,568 | $141,730 | 29 |
| Computer Science. | $100,596 | $142,680 | 27 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology. | $45,786 | $69,204 | 27 |
| History. | $56,444 | $103,601 | 25 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. | $38,387 | — | 22 |
| Area Studies. | $49,149 | $68,618 | 22 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | $49,322 | $60,212 | 21 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Amherst College
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Amherst College
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Wellesley College Need-Met Aid
100% need met (loans capped per year)
universityAll admitted Wellesley students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA + IDOC
Learn more ↗Boston Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$5,000
localEastern Massachusetts students with academic merit + financial need.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Salem State Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universitySSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Mount Holyoke Need-Met Aid
100% need met for international + most domestic students
universityAdmitted Mount Holyoke students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗UMass Lowell Chancellor's Scholarship
Up to full tuition + fees
universityTop UML freshmen with 3.5+ GPA + 1300+ SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Western New England University Presidential Scholarship
$20,000-$25,000/year
universityTop WNE freshmen with 3.6+ GPA + 1250+ SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗MASSGrant
Up to $2,500/year
stateMA residents at MA colleges with financial need (lower-need-tier than MASSGrant Plus).
Deadline: FAFSA by May 1
Learn more ↗Harvard Financial Aid Initiative
100% need met; no loans; full ride for families under $85k
universityAll admitted Harvard students with demonstrated need; families under $85k pay nothing.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA + IDOC
Learn more ↗MASSGrant Plus
Up to full unmet-need (publics)
stateMA residents with high financial need at MA public 4-year universities; covers gap after Pell + other aid.
Deadline: FAFSA by May 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $1,086 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $1,570 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $17,478 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $23,639 |
| $110,001+ | $47,521 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Amherst College →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 9% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
30%
acceptance
ED edgeTest-required for 2025+.
Source ↗Regular Decision
8%
acceptance
Overall ~9%.
Source ↗Regular Decision
9.01%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
23.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
18.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
11.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
23.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
44.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
97.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
95.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
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