Admit rate has ranged 20%–27% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Babson College isn’t just a business school—it’s a launchpad for entrepreneurial minds. With a fiercely selective admissions process (16% acceptance rate) and a curriculum that blends liberal arts with hands-on business training, Babson produces graduates who outearn national averages by 13% right out of the gate. Its tight-knit campus near Boston buzzes with startup energy, from pitch competitions to a 97% first-year retention rate.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
2,728
In-state tuition
$57,152
Out-of-state tuition
$57,152
Acceptance Rate
16%
Graduation Rate
92%
Campus Safety Rating
100% (per Niche)
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
Not provided in sources
Median Early-Career Earnings
$74,451
Average Financial Aid Package
$55,844
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$123,938
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
3.1×
Median debt at graduation
$20,000
Graduation rate
93%
First-year retention
95%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
91%
Pell (lower-income) share
35%
First-generation share
15%
Endowment / student
$271,375
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$61,600
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
10
Per 1,000 students
3.67
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
91
Summer high
82°F
Winter low
25°F
Annual rain
50"
Annual snow
33.1"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
233
Scholarly works
4,617
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
2.8%
Bottom → top quintile
68%
From bottom quintile
4%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Babson College?
Babson College's acceptance rate is approximately 17% (Wellesley, MA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Babson College?
Admitted students at Babson College typically score 1390–1530 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Babson College cost?
At Babson College, the average net price (after aid) is about $40,514 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Babson College?
Babson College enrolls approximately 2,728 undergraduate students.
Where is Babson College located?
Babson College is located in Wellesley, MA.
Admissions
Babson’s admissions process is highly selective, with a 16% acceptance rate (down from 17% in recent years due to rising applications). The middle 50% of admitted students boast SAT scores of 1450–1530 or ACT scores of 31–35. Applications peak at 10,552 annually, with a regular decision deadline of January 2. Babson requires a high school diploma or GED and emphasizes actionable applications—no fluff. Early applicants face a tighter 14.9% acceptance rate, signaling the college’s preference for demonstrated interest.
Babson’s academic identity orbits around , but it’s not a one-trick pony. The undergraduate program—ranked —marries business rigor with liberal arts through 30+ concentrations, from sustainability to art history. Classes are intimate, with . The core curriculum forces students to launch real ventures, blending theory with practice. Popular majors cluster in , but interdisciplinary tracks like "Entrepreneurship + Technology" attract innovators. Reddit threads praise the flexibility to customize degrees, though the workload is notoriously intense.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Life at Babson balances entrepreneurial hustle with New England charm. The Wellesley campus—often compared to a corporate retreat—features state-of-the-art labs and cozy residence halls. Students rally around 200+ clubs, including niche groups like the "Babson Finance Club" and "Brew Club." Athletics (Division III) foster school spirit, especially against rivals like MIT. A 100% safety rating on Niche underscores the tight-knit vibe. YouTube vlogs showcase packed days: coffee-fueled study sessions, pitch rehearsals at the Blank Center, and ski trips to nearby mountains. Quora posters rave about the "supportive but competitive" culture—think less frat parties, more networking mixers.
Babson’s ROI speaks loud: a 92% graduation rate (vs. national 64%) and median earnings of $74,451 within a year of graduating—13% above national averages for business grads. The Class of 2025 reported 97% employment or grad school placement, with finance and tech firms aggressively recruiting. Long-term payoffs are staggering: a 30-year net ROI of $1.17 million, per Bloomberg. Debt is manageable (median $20,000), thanks to Babson’s focus on employable skills. Instagram boasts of alumni founding unicorns or climbing corporate ladders at Goldman Sachs—proof that the "Babson mafia" network delivers.
Tuition stings at $85,416 (total cost), but 34% of students receive aid, with average packages of $55,844. Babson’s Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator estimates $30,220 after grants—still steep, but the college pitches it as an "investment" given earnings potential. Merit scholarships target high-achievers, while Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements. leans on FAFSA. Parents rave about the MyinTuition tool for transparent cost estimates. The financial aid office ("SFS") is notoriously responsive, though some grumble about opaque criteria for middle-income families.
Babson isn’t for the faint-hearted—it’s for future founders. Its edge lies in a curriculum that treats classrooms like boardrooms, where students prototype startups before they can legally drink. The stats dazzle: near-perfect retention, salaries that outpace Ivy peers, and a network that opens doors from Silicon Valley to Wall Street. But it’s the culture—equal parts cutthroat and collaborative—that seals the deal. Where else can you attend a "Shark Tank"-style competition before lunch, then debate Kant with your accounting prof?
Babson College logo · sourceBabson Quick Facts | Babson College · sourceWellesley Main Campus | Babson College · sourceInside the Blank School's Eight Centers and Institutes · Babson Thought & Action · source
