Admit rate has ranged 27%–44% 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.
Reed College is a fiercely intellectual, unconventional liberal arts college where students dive deep into academic rigor—most notably through its mandatory senior thesis—amid a quirky, tight-knit community. With a wooded canyon cutting through campus and a reputation for producing PhDs at one of the highest rates in the country, Reed attracts self-directed learners who thrive in its intense, discussion-heavy classrooms and proudly nonconformist culture.
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)
Demonstrated competencies
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
1,320
In-state tuition
$69,350
Out-of-state tuition
$69,350
Campus Size
116 acres (including 28-acre canyon)
Acceptance Rate
23-24.6%
Notable Tradition
Renn Fayre (medieval festival)
Residential Students
74%
Student-Faculty Ratio
9:1
4-Year Graduation Rate
59%
6-Year Graduation Rate
80%
Percentage Receiving Aid
61%
Average Financial Aid Package
$59,053
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$62,927
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.9×
Median debt at graduation
$21,500
Graduation rate
71%
First-year retention
88%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
85%
Pell (lower-income) share
32%
Endowment / student
$599,213
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.
Economics$52,107
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$30,409
Fine and Studio Arts$28,598
Biology, General$26,739
English Language and Literature, General$18,771
Psychology, General$16,874
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)
7
Per 1,000 students
5.30
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
115
Summer high
81°F
Winter low
36°F
Annual rain
52"
Annual snow
16.3"
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
177
Scholarly works
5,159
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 Reed College?
Reed College's acceptance rate is approximately 25% (Portland, OR), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Reed College?
Admitted students at Reed College typically score 1290–1520 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Reed College cost?
At Reed College, the average net price (after aid) is about $33,013 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Reed College?
Reed College enrolls approximately 1,320 undergraduate students.
Where is Reed College located?
Reed College is located in Portland, OR.
Admissions
Reed is highly selective, with a 23-24.6% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. (9,606 applicants for Fall 2025, 2,321 accepted). Nearly half of admitted students submit SAT scores (middle 50% range: 1310–1490), though 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. policies apply. The student body skews academically elite: 74% ranked in the top fifth of their high school class, and 51% in the top tenth. Most come from public high schools (58%), with 25% from private institutions. The admissions process emphasizes intellectual curiosity over extracurricular polish—fitting for a school where the academic grind is the main extracurricular.
Reed’s academic identity revolves around intense seminar-style classes, a yearlong humanities conference course for freshmen, and the infamous senior thesis—a yearlong original research project required for graduation. With 38 majors and 17 minors, the curriculum is lean but deep: physics (notably nuclear research), biology (with strong undergraduate research co-authorship opportunities), and humanities fields like literature and philosophy are standouts. There are no grades—only narrative evaluations—until junior year, reinforcing a culture obsessed with learning rather than credentialing. The Princeton Review notes the 'bachelor of arts degree in 38 majors' structure, while students praise the 'senior thesis' as a defining experience.
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.
Life at Reed orbits around two poles: the library and the 28-acre forested canyon at campus center. With over 90 student-led clubs (from 'Dadaist cooking collectives' to debate teams) and zero Greek life, socializing is idiosyncratic and often academically charged. The residential campus—Tudor-Gothic buildings draped in ivy—houses 74% of students, fostering a tight-knit, sometimes insular vibe. Traditions include 'Renn Fayre' (a medieval-themed festival) and the '100 List' of quirky must-dos ('#47: Debate Foucault at 3 AM'). As one Niche reviewer notes, it’s a 'bubble'—but a lively one for those who embrace its nerdier rhythms.
Reed’s 4-year graduation rate is 59%, rising to 76% by 5 years and 80% by 6 years—a reflection of the thesis-heavy curriculum’s demands. Alumni outcomes are PhD-heavy: Reed consistently ranks among the top schools for graduates earning doctorates per capita. Median early-career earnings are modest ($29,077), typical for liberal arts grads, but long-term outcomes shine in academia and research. The HEDS Alumni Survey shows 5- and 10-year cohorts outperforming peer institutions in graduate school attendance and faculty mentorship satisfaction. Debt is relatively low (median $21,500), aided by strong aid packages.
Tuition and fees run steep at $69,784 (2024-25), but Reed meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average aid package of $59,053. 61% of students receive financial aid, with 46% getting institutional grants (average $38,280). 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 aided students averages $36,993. Notably, 53% receive any aid, and only 38% take loans—a testament to Reed’s robust grant-based support. The MyinTuition calculator helps families estimate costs, though the sticker price reflects Reed’s high-touch, 9:1 student-faculty ratio model.
Reed is a rare beast: a school where students proudly call themselves 'Reedies,' where the library is the social hub, and where the thesis defense is a rite of passage. Its combination of academic intensity (no grades, just relentless feedback), quirky traditions (students joust at Renn Fayre), and stunning natural setting (a canyon with resident coyotes) creates a culture unlike any other. This isn’t a place for pre-professional networking—it’s for those who want to argue Derrida over midnight coffee, then hike through ferns to clear their heads. As one Redditor put it, 'The best parts are the Canyon and the senior thesis'—a perfect summary of Reed’s dual devotion to wildness and rigor.
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