31.5%
Acceptance Rate
$65,398
Avg Cost (In-State)
$65,398
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
87.8%
Graduation Rate
2,757
Total Enrollment
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Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 15 (Early Decision I), January 15 (Early Decision II)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
2
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Available
Essays: Common App personal essay required, plus supplemental essays including Why Lafayette
Note: Interview optional but recommended; demonstrated interest considered
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
$26,884
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$31,349
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics. | $68,164 | $112,864 | 60 |
| Political Science and Government. | $48,112 | $87,904 | 49 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $72,481 | $101,348 | 32 |
| Chemical Engineering. | $79,602 | $115,726 | 26 |
| Civil Engineering. | $70,391 | — | 24 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies. | $58,433 | — | 22 |
| Psychology, General. | $36,235 | $73,435 | 22 |
| Sociology and Anthropology. | $43,321 | — | 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 Lafayette College
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Lafayette 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.
Drexel Dean's Merit Scholarship
$10,000-$24,000/year
universityDrexel incoming freshmen with strong academic profile; tiered automatic award.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Pennsylvania State Grant
Up to $5,750/year
statePennsylvania residents attending approved PA or reciprocal-state schools. Based on financial need via FAFSA.
Deadline: May 1 (August 1 for renewals)
Learn more ↗Bryn Mawr Need-Met Aid
100% need met
universityAll admitted Bryn Mawr students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Penn State Schreyer Honors College Scholarship
$5,000-$8,000/year
universityAdmission to Schreyer Honors College; competitive nationwide.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Philadelphia Foundation Scholarships
$500-$10,000
localPhiladelphia-area students; many named funds.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Pittsburgh Chancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition + housing + meals + book stipend
universityTop ~20 incoming Pitt freshmen nationally; based on academic record + interview + essay.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗PA Chafee Education and Training Grant
Up to $5,000/year
statePA former foster youth ages 16-25.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗Hellenic University Club of Philadelphia Scholarship
Up to $4,000
localGreek American students from greater Philadelphia/NJ/DE area; HUC of Philly-administered.
Deadline: Spring
Learn more ↗Temple Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition
universityTemple top freshmen via competitive review.
Deadline: February 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 | $16,800 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $21,100 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $31,200 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $44,800 |
| $110,001+ | $58,900 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Lafayette 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 31.5% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
50%
acceptance
Regular Decision
30%
acceptance
Overall ~32%.
Source ↗Early Decision II
40%
acceptance
Regular Decision
31.45%
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.
14.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
11.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
25.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
17.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
19.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
93.0%
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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