Admit rate has ranged 33%–36% 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.
Oberlin College is a fiercely intellectual, musically vibrant liberal arts college with a legacy of progressive activism and academic rigor. Known for its top-tier Conservatory of Music and a student body that thrives on both artistic expression and social justice, Oberlin offers a uniquely intense and collaborative environment where 37% of Arts & Sciences students arrive via Early Decision.
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)
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
2,887
In-state tuition
$67,366
Out-of-state tuition
$67,366
Campus Size
440 acres
Financial Aid
$56,289 average need-based award
Acceptance Rate
34%
Graduation Rate
82% (6-year)
Most Popular Majors
Music Performance, Biology, Psychology
Median Earnings (1yr)
$36,427
Student Organizations
150+
Early Decision Enrollees
37% (A&S)
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$58,343
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.5×
Median debt at graduation
$26,000
Graduation rate
81%
First-year retention
91%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
82%
Pell (lower-income) share
26%
First-generation share
9%
Endowment / student
$440,064
Financial health
2.5 / 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.
Computer and Information Sciences, General$76,460
Economics$41,205
Political Science and Government$29,685
Sociology$28,236
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$27,750
Anthropology$25,194
Biology, General
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
8
Per 1,000 students
2.77
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
97
Summer high
80°F
Winter low
25°F
Annual rain
43.3"
Annual snow
31.6"
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
201
Scholarly works
8,519
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
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Oberlin College?
Oberlin College's acceptance rate is approximately 34% (Oberlin, OH), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Oberlin College?
Admitted students at Oberlin College typically score 1360–1520 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Oberlin College cost?
At Oberlin College, the average net price (after aid) is about $38,645 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Oberlin College?
Oberlin College enrolls approximately 2,887 undergraduate students.
Where is Oberlin College located?
Oberlin College is located in Oberlin, OH.
Admissions
Oberlin's admissions process is selective, with a 34% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. ([9], [10], [11]). The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1360–1530 on the SAT or 30–34 on the ACT ([8], [9], [10]). Notably, 37% of enrolling Arts & Sciences students come through Early Decision ([7]), reflecting the college's strong appeal to committed applicants. Recent data shows shifting demographics, with increasing enrollment of students of color alongside declining white enrollment ([3]).
Oberlin's College of Arts & Sciences offers over 40 majors and a dozen interdisciplinary programs ([13], [14]), with music performance, biology, psychology, politics, neuroscience, and history among the most popular ([15], [16]). The academic environment is described as 'rigorous' with 'world-class professors' ([18]) and a strong focus on undergraduate education ([17]). The dual-degree program allows students to simultaneously pursue degrees in both the College and Conservatory, a rare opportunity that attracts 44 first-year students annually ([7]).
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.
$23,456
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$22,771
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.
Mobility rate
1.2%
Bottom → top quintile
30%
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.
Notable programs: Music Performance (Conservatory), Experimental College (student-taught courses), Winter Term (month-long intensive projects)
Class size: Primarily small seminars; 85% of classes have fewer than 30 students ([18])
Oberlin's 440-acre campus fosters an 'inclusive and respectful' community ([19]) where social activism blends with a thriving arts scene. The college has over 150 student organizations spanning social justice, music, and identity groups ([24]). A strong pregame culture fuels weekend social life ([20]), while the Conservatory ensures a constant stream of performances (over 500 annually). Nearly all students live on campus, creating a tight-knit residential experience ([24]).
Oberlin boasts strong retention (91% first-year return rate) and graduation rates (79% overall, 82% within six years) ([25], [29], [30]). Alumni earn a median $36,427 one year post-graduation ([28]), rising to $58,343 after ten years ([30]). While early-career earnings lag slightly behind national averages ([27]), the college emphasizes long-term intellectual growth over immediate ROI. The Career Center reports that 60% of graduates pursue further education within ten years ([25]).
With a sticker price of $84,200 (tuition + room/board), Oberlin meets 100% of demonstrated need and awards an average $56,289 in Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements. to first-years ([31], [34]). All admitted students automatically receive a $10,000 Commitment Scholarship ([32]), and the college distributes over $100 million annually in grants and scholarships ([33]). The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid averages $50,484, with 53% of students receiving assistance ([35]).
Oberlin is singular for its fusion of artistic excellence and activist energy—where Conservatory musicians jam with philosophy majors at the co-op, and campus protests have real historical weight (it was the first college to admit women and among the first to admit Black students). The double-degree program creates rare synergy between elite music training and liberal arts ([7]), while traditions like the ExCo program (where students teach credit-bearing courses on everything from queer theory to fire-spinning) epitomize its culture of intellectual self-direction. This is a school for students who want to think hard, create boldly, and challenge constantly—with a soundtrack provided by one of the world's great music schools.
Oberlin College logo · sourceOberlin College and Conservatory | Oberlin College and Conservatory · sourceAbout Oberlin | Oberlin College and Conservatory · sourceFirst Impressions: Oberlin College (OH) - Educated Quest · source
