Admit rate has ranged 31%–39% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. 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.
Bryn Mawr College is a fiercely intellectual women's liberal arts college where Gothic spires meet radical thought. With a 29% acceptance rate and an early decision advantage (43% of admits come through ED), it attracts students who thrive in its rigorous, seminar-driven academics and self-governing traditions. The college's Quaker roots manifest in a culture of quiet intensity—think midnight poetry readings in the cloisters and heated debates about heterodox economics over dining hall tea.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
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
1,359
In-state tuition
$65,920
Out-of-state tuition
$65,920
Acceptance Rate
29%
On-Campus Housing
90%
Most Popular Majors
Psychology (10%), Sociology (9%), English (8%)
Student-Faculty Ratio
8:1
Six-Year Graduation Rate
87%
Avg. Financial Aid Package
$42,011
Median Earnings After 1 Year
$36,427
Early Decision Acceptance Rate
36.62%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$75,217
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.4×
Median debt at graduation
$25,000
Graduation rate
82%
First-year retention
92%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
79%
Pell (lower-income) share
34%
First-generation share
15%
Endowment / student
$889,585
Financial health
2.2 / 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.
English Language and Literature, General$24,035
Anthropology$22,667
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$19,162
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)
2
Per 1,000 students
1.47
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
90
Summer high
85°F
Winter low
30°F
Annual rain
51.3"
Annual snow
14.6"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
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
211
Scholarly works
8,404
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.
Share of this school’s graduates who go on to earn research doctorates (2010–20), by national rank and per-capita yield (NSF institutional-yield ratio). A signal of a research-oriented student culture — not a causal promise, since it partly reflects who enrolls. Only top producers appear. Source: NSF NCSES, Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Bryn Mawr College?
Bryn Mawr College's acceptance rate is approximately 29% (Bryn Mawr, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Bryn Mawr College?
Admitted students at Bryn Mawr College typically score 1280–1510 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Bryn Mawr College cost?
At Bryn Mawr College, the average net price (after aid) is about $31,759 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Bryn Mawr College?
Bryn Mawr College enrolls approximately 1,359 undergraduate students.
Where is Bryn Mawr College located?
Bryn Mawr College is located in Bryn Mawr, PA.
Admissions
Bryn Mawr's admissions process is selective but rewards demonstrated intellectual passion. For the Class of 2028, the college received 4,094 applications and admitted 29% (1,205 students), with 43% of enrolled students coming through Early Decision. The ED Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. (36.62%) is significantly higher than regular decision. Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. since 2020, 65% of admitted students submitted SAT scores while 23% submitted ACT scores. The middle 50% SAT range is 1380-1520, with ACT composites between 30-33. Notably, 90% of enrolled first-years graduated in the top 20% of their high school class.
Early Decision Advantage: 36.62% ED acceptance rate vs. 29.43% overall (Class of 2028)
Demographics: 100% of enrolled first-years are women (Common Data Set (CDS)A standardized report most colleges publish each year with admissions, test-score, and financial-aid figures, making schools easier to compare. confirms 0 male applicants)
Yield Rate: ~31.5% (380 enrolled from 1,205 admitted)
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.
1.8%
Bottom → top quintile
35%
From bottom quintile
5%
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.
Academics
Bryn Mawr's academic culture is a paradox: intensely rigorous yet collaboratively feminist. The college specializes in turning out women who dominate male-dominated fields—30% of STEM majors compared to 16% national average for women's colleges. Psychology (10%), Sociology (9%), and English (8%) are the most popular majors, but the college punches above its weight in niche offerings like Growth and Structure of Cities (a hybrid architecture/urban studies program) and 360° Program clusters that combine courses like "Bioethics" with "Feminist Science Studies."
Signature Programs: Self-designed majors, Bi-Co (cross-registration with Haverford), and the Emily Balch Seminar (first-year interdisciplinary program)
Faculty Access: 8:1 student-faculty ratio with 100% of classes under 50 students
Unusual Requirements: All students must pass a swim test and complete a senior thesis or capstone project
Life at Bryn Mawr oscillates between monastic scholarship and whimsical rebellion. Ninety percent of students live on campus, many in Gothic dorms where traditions like "Hell Week" (freshman initiation) and "May Day" (dancing around a maypole in white dresses) persist. The social scene is insular—students describe cliques forming around academic departments or political affiliations—but the Bi-College Consortium with Haverford provides dating options. Oddities abound: the college has its own ghost (the "White Lady" of Thomas Hall) and students ritually steal the Dean's chair during finals week.
Housing: 90% live on campus in dorms like Radnor (known for secret tunnels) or Erdman (modern suites)
Traditions: Parade Night (lantern-lit procession), Hell Week (team-building challenges), and self-scheduled finals
Quirks: The campus coffee shop is called "Uncle Charlie’s" and sells vegan muffins named after feminist theorists
Bryn Mawr graduates enter the world with a 87% six-year graduation rate and a reputation for outspoken competence. Within one year, 97% are employed, in grad school, or pursuing fellowships—notable for a liberal arts college without pre-professional majors. The median early-career salary ($36,427) understates outcomes, as many alumnae pursue lower-paying but high-impact careers in NGOs, education, and public health. The college is a top feeder for PhD programs, ranking #1 nationally for producing female chemistry PhDs relative to size.
Graduation Rates: 82% in 4 years, 86% in 5 years, 87% in 6 years
Post-Grad Plans: 40% enter grad school within 5 years (higher than national LAC average)
Notable Alums: Marianne Moore (poet), Katharine Hepburn (actress), and Emily Greene Balch (Nobel Peace Prize)
At $87,770 total cost, Bryn Mawr is pricey but aggressive with aid. Seventy-nine percent of students receive financial assistance, with an average grant of $42,011 bringing the Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. down to $39,383 for most. The college meets 100% of demonstrated need and offers merit scholarships up to $45,000/year. A unique policy: families earning under $175,000 with typical assets pay no tuition. The catch? Aid packages often include work-study (10-12 hours/week in the rare book room or as a "Tour Guide Ambassador").
Total Cost: $87,770 (tuition + room/board)
Average Aid Package: $42,011 (76% receive grants)
No-Loan Policy: Replaces loans with grants for families under $60k income
Bryn Mawr is the only women's college where you can take a seminar on "Queer Medieval Mystics" while cross-registering for engineering at nearby Haverford. Its intellectual intensity is legendary—students joke about "Bryn Mawr paranoia" (the fear you're the dumbest person on campus)—but it's balanced by a culture of mutual uplift. The honor code allows self-scheduled exams and extends to social conduct (no censoring of opinions, but no personal attacks). This is a place where quiet bookworms transform into women who argue with Nobel laureates at alumnae teas.
