Admit rate has ranged 28%–53% 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.
Spelman College isn't just an HBCU—it's a powerhouse for Black women's leadership, with a fiercely selective admissions process (25% acceptance rate) and a reputation for rigorous STEM and liberal arts programs. Nestled in Atlanta's academic hub, Spelman combines historic Black excellence with a modern, socially conscious edge, producing graduates who out-earn their peers nationally.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
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
3,414
In-state tuition
$31,556
Out-of-state tuition
$31,556
Acceptance Rate
25%
6-Year Graduation Rate
75%
Students Receiving Aid
78.92%
Median Early-Career Earnings
$36,427
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$59,993
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.5×
Median debt at graduation
$25,000
Graduation rate
78%
First-year retention
94%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
42%
Pell (lower-income) share
66%
First-generation share
21%
Endowment / student
$160,889
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$48,667
English Language and Literature, General$38,289
International/Globalization Studies$37,748
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies$35,600
Political Science and Government$35,060
Sociology$29,685
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
101
Summer high
86°F
Winter low
39°F
Annual rain
65.3"
Annual snow
0.7"
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
88
Scholarly works
1,751
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
3.3%
Bottom → top quintile
35%
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Spelman College?
Spelman College's acceptance rate is approximately 25% (Atlanta, GA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Spelman College?
Admitted students at Spelman College typically score 1108–1320 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Spelman College cost?
At Spelman College, the average net price (after aid) is about $38,967 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Spelman College?
Spelman College enrolls approximately 3,414 undergraduate students.
Where is Spelman College located?
Spelman College is located in Atlanta, GA.
Admissions
Getting into Spelman has become dramatically more competitive—the Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. plummeted from 51% in 2021 to 25% in 2024, with the Class of 2028 selected from over 11,700 applicants. Successful candidates typically boast a 3.9 GPA and mid-range test scores (SAT 1128–1303, ACT 26). Early applicants have a slight edge with a 32.1% acceptance rate. 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., but the academic bar is high: Reddit threads reveal even students with 3.67 GPAs express anxiety about their chances.
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.
Psychology, General$25,525
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$15,552
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
9%
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.
Academics
Spelman's academic intensity is legendary, particularly in STEM—students describe math and science courses as 'tough,' with rigorous programs in biochemistry, biology, and computer science. The most popular majors cluster in social sciences (psychology, political science) and biological sciences, but the college also nurtures creative talent through acclaimed arts programs in dance, theater, and film. A Reddit user warns that the environment can feel 'status and social climber oriented,' but this reflects Spelman's culture of high achievement. The liberal arts curriculum explicitly ties classroom learning to Black feminist thought and global awareness.
The 39-acre Atlanta campus blends historic red-brick buildings with modern facilities, described by students as both 'charming' and continually improving. Social life orbits around sisterhood rituals, activism (the college made headlines for divesting from fossil fuels), and collaborations with nearby Morehouse and Clark Atlanta. The Office of Student Life & Engagement (@spelmanstudentlife on Instagram) organizes everything from Senegal study trips to homecoming step shows. While some critique the pressure to conform to certain aesthetics or social circles, most revel in what one alum calls 'a culture where students come first.'
Spelman's 6-year graduation rate (75%) far exceeds national averages for Black women, and its alumnae earnings tell a striking story: graduates earn a median $36,427 one year out—$9,000+ more than Black graduates statewide. Nearly 70% finish in four years, rising to 77% by year six. The college's career network is formidable, with pipelines into medicine, law, and corporate leadership. A 2023 report found Spelman grads' salaries ranked second among Georgia HBCUs, validating the institution's ROI.
With a sticker price of $37,403 after average aid (78.92% of students receive assistance), Spelman isn't cheap—but 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 reveals significant need-based and merit packages. The average aid package totals $18,279, bringing the typical net price to $37,085. The financial aid office emphasizes meeting full demonstrated need, though some students report gaps requiring loans or external scholarships.
Spelman isn't merely a college—it's an ecosystem for Black women's ambition. Where else can you find a chemistry lab next to a diaspora studies seminar, where alumnae include Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman and Pulitzer winner Alice Walker? The combination of HBCU tradition (soul food Thursdays, convocation rituals) with cutting-edge research (NASA partnerships, AI ethics initiatives) creates an intellectual home that's both grounding and galvanizing. Its Atlanta location provides access to Fortune 500 internships, while its tight-knit sisterhood ensures no student slips through the cracks. As Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. drop and graduate earnings rise, Spelman solidifies its status as the gold standard for educating Black women.
Spelman College logo · sourceVisit Spelman College | Spelman College | Atlanta, GA · sourceSpelman College - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges · sourceGetting To Know: Spelman College (GA) - Educated Quest · source
