Bates College
Lewiston, ME
13.3%
Acceptance Rate
$66,590
Avg Cost (In-State)
$66,590
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
90.1%
Graduation Rate
1,760
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to sustainability collegesBy the numbers
Bates 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 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Decision I) and January 1 (Early Decision II)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
3
Interview
Available
Essays: Common Application personal essay required
Note: Interview strongly recommended; 3 letters required (2 from teachers, 1 from counselor)
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
$59,202
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$69,498
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
90%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Political Science and Government. | $41,055 | $80,714 | 46 |
| Economics. | $71,187 | $110,880 | 29 |
| Sociology. | $42,170 | — | 22 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | $38,437 | — | 20 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology. | $47,376 | — | 18 |
| Biology, General. | $30,613 | — | 17 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | $40,395 | — | 17 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | $40,233 | $62,082 | 16 |
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 Bates College
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Bates 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.
Doctors for Maine's Future Scholarship
Up to $25,000/year (med school)
stateME residents accepted to participating medical schools (UNE, Tufts, Dartmouth) with intent to practice primary care in ME.
Deadline: Through partner med school
Learn more ↗Maine Joan F. Vassar Scholarship
$2,500
stateME HS seniors pursuing higher education.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Maine State Grant Program
Up to $2,500/year
stateME residents with financial need attending ME colleges or eligible OOS institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA by May 1
Learn more ↗U Maine Black Bear Scholarship
$2,000-$10,000/year
universityUMaine OOS freshmen via tiered automatic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗U Maine Pine Tree State Pledge Scholarship
Up to in-state tuition for NE students
universityStudents from NE states (excl. ME) attending UMaine pay in-state tuition rate.
Deadline: Apply with admission
Learn more ↗Bates Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans capped
universityAdmitted Bates students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Bowdoin College Need-Met No-Loan Aid
100% need met; loans replaced with grants
universityAll admitted Bowdoin students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Maine Education Loan Marketing Scholarship
$500-$3,000
stateME students with academic merit pursuing higher education.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Bowdoin Bowdoin Scholars
Full cost of attendance + research stipend
universityTop Bowdoin incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: January 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 | $2,397 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $8,958 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $11,336 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $19,468 |
| $110,001+ | $45,886 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Bates 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 13.3% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
40%
acceptance
ED edgeEarly Decision II
30%
acceptance
ED edgeRegular Decision
13%
acceptance
Overall ~14%.
Source ↗Regular Decision
13.32%
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.
12.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
13.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
11.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
16.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
35.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
94.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
89.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Important
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
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