What is the acceptance rate at College of the Atlantic?

College of the Atlantic's acceptance rate is approximately 70% (Bar Harbor, ME), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.

What SAT score do you need for College of the Atlantic?

Admitted students at College of the Atlantic typically score 1240–1430 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

How much does College of the Atlantic cost?

At College of the Atlantic, the average net price (after aid) is about $25,184 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.

How many undergraduates attend College of the Atlantic?

College of the Atlantic enrolls approximately 353 undergraduate students.

Where is College of the Atlantic located?

College of the Atlantic is located in Bar Harbor, ME.

College of the Atlantic: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Cost — QuantAdmit

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College of the Atlantic

Bar Harbor, MEprivate nonprofitcoa.edu

Acceptance

70%

SAT 25–75

1240–1430

Avg net price

$25,184

Earnings (10 yr)

$40,264

Graduation rate

68%

Admit rate has ranged 60%–76% 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.

College of the Atlantic is a tiny, fiercely independent liberal arts college on Maine's Mount Desert Island where every student designs their own major in human ecology—a radical blend of environmental science, arts, and social justice. With a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, an organic campus farm, and a 70% acceptance rate that belies its intellectual intensity, COA attracts iconoclasts who'd rather study sustainable food systems than take multiple-choice exams.

Admission requirements

Test-blind — scores not considered

Required

High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)

Considered (not required)

Grade point average
Class rank
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: 353
In-state tuition: $47,997
Out-of-state tuition: $47,997
Location: Bar Harbor, ME
Acceptance Rate: 70%
On-Campus Housing: 77%
Early Acceptance Rate: 81.4%
Student-Faculty Ratio: 10:1
4-Year Graduation Rate: 52%
6-Year Graduation Rate: 66%
Average Financial Aid Package: $43,158
Median Earnings 1 Year After Graduation: $36,427

Outcomes & value

Median earnings (10 yr): $40,264
Value (earnings ÷ net price): 1.6×
Median debt at graduation: $25,050
Graduation rate: 68%
First-year retention: 85%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr): 77%
Pell (lower-income) share: 48%
Endowment / student: $239,220

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.

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.

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$16,920

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): 0
Per 1,000 students: 0.00

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: 98
Summer high: 72°F
Winter low: 22°F
Annual rain: 54.7"
Annual snow: 47"
Natural-hazard risk: Relatively Low

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: 90
Scholarly works: 649

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.

Quick answers

What is the acceptance rate at College of the Atlantic?: College of the Atlantic's acceptance rate is approximately 70% (Bar Harbor, ME), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for College of the Atlantic?: Admitted students at College of the Atlantic typically score 1240–1430 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does College of the Atlantic cost?: At College of the Atlantic, the average net price (after aid) is about $25,184 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend College of the Atlantic?: College of the Atlantic enrolls approximately 353 undergraduate students.
Where is College of the Atlantic located?: College of the Atlantic is located in Bar Harbor, ME.

Admissions

COA's admissions process is as unconventional as its curriculum— since long before it was trendy, with an early (81.4%) significantly higher than its regular decision rate (70%). The middle 50% of admitted students who submit scores land between 1260-1410 on the SAT or 28-32 on the ACT, but only 353 of 476 applicants typically enroll, suggesting self-selection by students who vibe with its niche ethos. Applications are due February 1, though the admissions office emphasizes fit over metrics, explicitly asking 'Is COA Right for Me?' on their website.

usnews.com bigfuture.collegeboard.org prepscholar.com petersons.com coa.edu

Academics

Every COA student graduates with the same degree: a BA or BS in Human Ecology, crafting their own interdisciplinary path through focus areas like sustainable food systems, environmental sciences, or arts and design. The 10:1 student-faculty ratio enables tutorials where professors mentor projects like studying humpback whale communication or designing permaculture gardens. There are no traditional majors—just 'concentrations' self-designed through contracts with faculty, often blending fieldwork at Acadia National Park with studio art or policy analysis. A Reddit thread notes its 'stellar reputation' despite (or because of) this singularity, while U.S. News categorizes graduates under 'Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities' by default.

Compare College of the Atlantic

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College of the Atlantic

Admission requirements

Outcomes & value

Financial health

Top-earning majors

Campus safety

Climate

Research output

Quick answers

Admissions

Academics

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