Admit rate has ranged 48%–56% 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.
Gettysburg College is a selective liberal arts school where Civil War history bleeds into campus culture—think rigorous academics with a side of fraternity tailgates. Known for its tight-knit community and strong economics program, it attracts students who thrive in small seminars but don’t mind a party scene. Just don’t expect a bargain: with a sticker price north of $80K, it’s a premium education with outcomes to match.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Class rank
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
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.
2.4 / 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.
Economics$55,964
Business Administration, Management and Operations$47,595
Political Science and Government$39,369
Psychology, General$36,560
English Language and Literature, General$34,348
Biology, General$32,391
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
12
Per 1,000 students
5.72
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
84
Summer high
86°F
Winter low
29°F
Annual rain
43.6"
Annual snow
17.1"
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
127
Scholarly works
6,137
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
0.8%
Bottom → top quintile
44%
From bottom quintile
2%
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 Gettysburg College?
Gettysburg College's acceptance rate is approximately 39% (Gettysburg, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Gettysburg College?
Admitted students at Gettysburg College typically score 1270–1460 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Gettysburg College cost?
At Gettysburg College, the average net price (after aid) is about $31,490 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Gettysburg College?
Gettysburg College enrolls approximately 2,099 undergraduate students.
Where is Gettysburg College located?
Gettysburg College is located in Gettysburg, PA.
Admissions
Gettysburg’s admissions process is selective but not cutthroat, with a 39% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. (3,254 admits from 8,366 applicants for Fall 2024). The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1240–1460 on the SAT or 28–32 on the ACT. Notably, 91% of enrolled first-years return for sophomore year—a sign the college recruits students who fit its culture. While test scores matter, the admissions office emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone., with many accepted students having strong GPAs and college-prep coursework.
Class of 2029 stats: 497 enrolled from 7,929 applications
Demographics: Predominantly white (76% of undergraduates), with 24% students of color
Early Decision: Offers binding ED I and II options, though acceptance rates aren’t published
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.
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
$31,305
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences$31,305
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.
Gettysburg’s academic identity orbits around interdisciplinary rigor and faculty mentorship, with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The college offers 65 majors, but three dominate: Business Administration (16% of degrees), Political Science (13%), and Economics (often cited as the strongest department for its blend of econometrics and policy analysis). Signature programs like the Eisenhower Institute (leadership training) and the Garthwait Leadership Center underscore Gettysburg’s focus on turning out graduates who can ‘lead with purpose.’
Notable quirks: All seniors complete a capstone project, often thesis-length
Global focus: 60% study abroad, with programs like ‘Semester in Washington’ for poli-sci majors
Faculty access: 70% of classes have fewer than 20 students
Life at Gettysburg splits between intellectual intensity and Greek-fueled socializing. About 40% of students join fraternities or sororities, and Reddit threads warn it’s a ‘very big party school’—though one where you might debate Keynesian economics at a tailgate. The 225-acre campus, adjacent to Gettysburg National Military Park, lends a sense of gravity (and tourist traffic). Dorms are described as ‘family-like,’ but the real glue is the college’s 120+ clubs, including quirky options like the ‘Craft Beer Club.’
Location pros/cons: Historic but rural—students road-trip to DC or Baltimore for big-city fixes
Traditions: ‘First-Year Walk’ retraces Lincoln’s steps to deliver the Gettysburg Address
Vibe: ‘Wealthy kids with not much to do’ meets ‘hyper-engaged activists’ (per student forums)
Gettysburg delivers on the liberal arts promise of employability: 97% of the Class of 2024 landed jobs or grad school spots within a year. The six-year graduation rate is 79%—solid for a selective liberal arts college—and alumni median earnings hit $36,427 early-career (though this lags behind some peer schools). The career office touts a ‘Consequential Education’ model, funneling students into finance (Vanguard recruits heavily), government (Eisenhower connections), and education.
Top employers: Vanguard, Teach For America, U.S. government
Grad school feeders: Penn State, Georgetown, UVA
ROI: Grads earn 73% more than high school diploma holders (per college data)
At $83,760 for tuition, room, and board (2024-25), Gettysburg isn’t shy about its elite price tag—but 98% of first-years receive aid, with the average package hitting $59,316. The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator suggests middle-income families might pay $35,000–$50,000 after grants. Merit scholarships (non-need-based) are rare; the college leans heavily on Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements.. One red flag: 62% of students graduate with debt, averaging $27,000.
Financial aid stats: 57% of students receive institutional grants
Hidden cost: Textbooks/supplies average $1,200/year
Bottom line: Comparable to peers like Dickinson, but less generous than top-tier LACs
Gettysburg’s location is its lodestar—the battlefield’s shadow forces a reckoning with history that few colleges match. This isn’t just backdrop: the history department is robust, and programs like Civil War Era Studies attract niche applicants. The college punches above its weight in D.C. internships (think Smithsonian, Capitol Hill) thanks to its Eisenhower ties. For the right student—one who wants seminar-sized classes but also a vibrant Greek scene—it’s a golden mean between intellectualism and college ‘fun.’
Gettysburg College logo · sourceGettysburg College - Wikipedia · sourceGettysburg College in Pennsylvania - 'Do Great Work' · sourceEnhancing our campus, fostering new learning - Gettysburg College · source
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