Admit rate has ranged 10%–22% 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.
Middlebury College is a fiercely selective liberal arts powerhouse nestled in Vermont’s Green Mountains, where rigorous academics collide with a tight-knit, outdoorsy community. Known for its elite language programs, environmental studies, and economics pipeline to Wall Street, Middlebury blends intellectual intensity with a distinctly New England charm—think snowshoeing to class and five-course dinners cooked by students.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
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$75,518
Computer Science$58,673
International Relations and National Security Studies$55,964
Area Studies$44,091
Psychology, General$42,682
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$42,188
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
6
Per 1,000 students
2.19
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
79°F
Winter low
18°F
Annual rain
45.8"
Annual snow
52.1"
Natural-hazard risk
Very 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
183
Scholarly works
7,005
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
1.3%
Bottom → top quintile
55%
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Middlebury College?
Middlebury College's acceptance rate is approximately 11% (Middlebury, VT), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Middlebury College?
Admitted students at Middlebury College typically score 1445–1550 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Middlebury College cost?
At Middlebury College, the average net price (after aid) is about $31,483 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Middlebury College?
Middlebury College enrolls approximately 2,738 undergraduate students.
Where is Middlebury College located?
Middlebury College is located in Middlebury, VT.
Admissions
Middlebury’s admissions process is a high-stakes game, with an Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering around 13.9% for the Class of 2029—up slightly from 12% the previous year. Early Decision applicants fare better, with historical ED acceptance rates between 45-47%. The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 1450–1530, and the college emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone., though academic rigor and extracurricular depth are non-negotiable. The incoming class is geographically diverse (46 states represented) and includes 26% domestic students of color and 13% international students. Notably, Middlebury admits a cohort of 'Febs'—students who start in February, adding a quirky twist to the traditional academic calendar.
Middlebury’s academic offerings are both broad and deep, with over 50 majors and minors spanning from environmental studies to neuroscience. The college’s signature strengths include:
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.
Political Science and Government
$41,025
Sociology$41,007
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.
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.
Economics: A feeder to top finance firms like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
Language programs: Renowned for immersive instruction (including the famed Middlebury Language Schools).
Environmental Studies: Leveraging Vermont’s natural landscape for fieldwork.
With a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, seminars are intimate, and independent research is encouraged. The most popular majors reflect this blend of pragmatism and passion: econometrics, computer science, and English all draw crowds. Reddit threads and Quora posts highlight economics as the ‘safest’ bet for job prospects, while niche humanities programs thrive with dedicated faculty support.
Life at Middlebury is a mix of granola crunch and pre-professional hustle. The campus culture leans collaborative, with 98% of students reporting they feel ‘extremely safe’ (per Niche). Social life revolves around:
Outdoor pursuits: Skiing, hiking, and the ‘Middlebury Mountain Club’ dominate weekends.
Dorm parties and ‘Dolci’ dinners: Student-run five-course meals in Atwater Hall are a cult favorite.
Clubs and activism: From a cappella groups to climate action coalitions.
With no Greek life, the vibe is inclusive but self-directed—‘introverts and extroverts alike find their people,’ notes one Reddit thread. The isolated location (nearest city: Burlington, 45 minutes away) fosters camaraderie, though some joke about ‘Middlebury bubbles.’
Middlebury’s 94% six-year graduation rate (per federal data) underscores its academic support. Alumni outcomes are strong, with median earnings of $36,427 one year post-graduation, climbing to $70,000 in early career (per UniversityHQ). Economics majors dominate high-earning trajectories, while humanities grads often pivot to grad school. The college’s career services emphasize networking, with finance and tech recruiting heavily on campus. Notably, linguistics and arts grads earn around $40,656—a testament to Middlebury’s balance of passion and pragmatism.
Middlebury’s sticker price is steep ($62,070 tuition), but the college meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average aid package of $59,785 for first-years. About 47% of students receive need-based aid, and 42% land institutional grants (averaging $36,822). The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. for many families hovers around $22,181 after aid. Middlebury is upfront about costs, offering a net price calculator to estimate aid—though it warns results are ‘only an estimate.’ Loan burdens are relatively low, with just 31% of students borrowing.
Middlebury is a unicorn: a small liberal arts college with global clout. Its language programs are unmatched (students swear by the ‘Language Pledge’ immersion), its environmental studies department leverages Vermont’s wilderness as a lab, and its economics pipeline rivals Ivies. Add a quirky ‘Feb’ admissions program, a student body that’s as likely to debate Kant as to summit Camel’s Hump, and a culture that prizes both wool socks and Wall Street ambitions—it’s a place where you’ll ski to class but leave with a Rolodex of Fortune 500 contacts.
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