Admit rate has ranged 18%–25% 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.
Vassar College is a fiercely intellectual, progressive liberal arts powerhouse where tradition collides with avant-garde thinking. With an 18.6% acceptance rate and a curriculum that pioneered women's education (now coed), it blends rigorous academics—especially in the sciences and arts—with a residential house system that fosters tight-knit communities. Students here are as likely to debate Foucault over coffee as they are to stage experimental theater in one of the nine historic houses.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
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
2,444
In-state tuition
$71,030
Out-of-state tuition
$71,030
Campus Size
1,000 acres
Acceptance Rate
18.6%
Graduation Rate
92%
Most Popular Major
Economics
Residential Houses
9
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
8:1
Average Financial Aid Package
$70,618
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$71,366
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.8×
Median debt at graduation
$18,625
Graduation rate
91%
First-year retention
95%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
93%
Pell (lower-income) share
44%
First-generation share
14%
Endowment / student
$532,320
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.
Computer and Information Sciences, General$69,535
Economics$57,995
Mathematics$49,683
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$41,025
Education, General$39,741
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$39,729
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
6
Per 1,000 students
2.45
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
90
Summer high
83°F
Winter low
25°F
Annual rain
48.9"
Annual snow
28.9"
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
254
Scholarly works
9,534
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 Vassar College?
Vassar College's acceptance rate is approximately 19% (Poughkeepsie, NY), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Vassar College?
Admitted students at Vassar College typically score 1450–1550 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Vassar College cost?
At Vassar College, the average net price (after aid) is about $39,343 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Vassar College?
Vassar College enrolls approximately 2,444 undergraduate students.
Where is Vassar College located?
Vassar College is located in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Admissions
Vassar's admissions process is highly selective, with an 18.6% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. for the Class of 2028 (down from 17.7% the prior year). The college received 12,447 applications for just 665 spots. Middle 50% SAT scores range from 1460–1520, and 37% of admitted students identify as people of color. Notably, Vassar has no merit-based scholarships—all aid is need-based, reflecting its commitment to socioeconomic diversity. The average five-year admit rate hovers around 19.21%, making it one of the most competitive liberal arts colleges.
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.
Fine and Studio Arts
$35,600
Sociology$33,993
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.
1.1%
Bottom → top quintile
33%
From bottom quintile
3%
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.
Neuroscience and Biochemistry (both 5% of majors)
Political Science (5%) and Economics (most popular)
Pioneering programs in Drama, Film, and Studio Art (Vassar was among the first to teach these disciplines).
The college emphasizes undergraduate research, with 80% of seniors completing internships. While STEM is strong, humanities thrive too—English and Art History are signature departments. The Princeton Review praises its 'academically challenging' environment where professors are 'accessible' and interdisciplinary work is the norm.
Life revolves around Vassar’s nine residential houses, each with its own traditions (think: midnight poetry slams in the Gothic common rooms). The culture is unabashedly progressive—students describe it as 'vibrant' and 'socially aware,' though some note it can feel 'cliqueish' or insular. The 1,000-acre campus, dotted with Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and a Shakespeare Garden, hosts quirky events like 'Deece Late Night' (dining hall dance parties). A Reddit user sums it up: 'The campus is great, but there’s definitely a bubble.'
Vassar boasts a 92% graduation rate, with 94% of alumni employed or in grad school within six months. Median earnings for recent grads are $34,993, though this climbs sharply for mid-career professionals. Notably, 80% complete internships (vs. 50–65% nationally), and the average debt at graduation is $18,625—well below the national average. The college attributes success to its 'actionable findings' on student support, like tailored advising for First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. students.
Sticker price is steep ($82,180 for 2024–25), but Vassar meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average aid package of $70,618. 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 drops to $29,733, and 55% receive assistance. The college uses the MyinTuition calculator to estimate costs—families earning <$75k typically pay $0. No Merit aidScholarship money awarded for achievements like grades, talents, or test scores — not based on your family's financial need. exists, reinforcing Vassar’s ethos: 'If you’re admitted, we’ll make it work.'
Vassar is a rebel with a cause—a former women’s college that went coed in 1969 but kept its feminist DNA. It’s where you’ll find a science lab next to a black-box theater, where students protest fossil fuels one day and dissect Yeats the next. The house system fosters intimacy (think: Hogwarts with a poli-sci twist), while Poughkeepsie’s grit keeps the ivory tower in check. For those who crave rigor without rigidity, it’s a singular blend of tradition and iconoclasm.
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