Lakewood, NJprivate nonprofityeshivagedolatiferesyerachmiel.com
Admit rate has ranged 29%–96% 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.
Yeshiva Gedola Tiferes Yerachmiel is a singular institution: a small, all-male Orthodox Jewish yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, dedicated exclusively to the intensive, immersive study of Talmudic and Rabbinical texts. Its defining characteristic is a profound focus, with a single academic major and a daily life structured entirely around religious study and practice. The school operates on a different axis than a typical liberal arts college, prioritizing spiritual and intellectual formation within a tight-knit religious community above all else.
Test-blind — scores not considered
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
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.
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.
Campus & location
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.
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.
Admission is explicitly reserved for male members of the Orthodox Jewish faith, with a policy of openness regardless of color, race, or national origin. The process is selective but not overwhelmingly so, with reported varying across sources from 29% to 51.5%. The most recent application data shows a small but growing pool; in 2024, the yeshiva received 68 undergraduate applications, an 11.5% increase from the prior year, and admitted 34.6% more students. Notably, standardized test scores like the SAT or ACT are not considered in admissions decisions. The rate—the percentage of admitted students who enroll—is exceptionally high, reported at 100% in one source, indicating that those who are admitted are deeply committed to attending.
Academic life is defined by an unparalleled focus. The yeshiva offers exactly one major: Talmudic and Rabbinical Studies. This isn't a college with a department of religion; it is an institution built entirely around the deep, daily study of Jewish law, Talmud, and related texts. The student-to-faculty ratio is intimate, reported at either 19:1 or 22:1, which facilitates the personalized, seminar-style learning central to the yeshiva model. A standout metric is the remarkably high first-year retention rate, cited as 95% and even 100% in different sources. This suggests students who arrive are profoundly engaged and satisfied with the singular academic and religious environment. Graduation rates reported in the sources show significant variation, from 5% to 72%, highlighting the unique trajectory of students in this type of program, where extended study is common and degree completion may follow a non-traditional timeline.
Life at Yeshiva Gedola Tiferes Yerachmiel is an all-encompassing immersion in a religious and scholarly community. As a small, single-gender institution dedicated to Orthodox Jewish practice, campus life is inseparable from the rhythms of prayer and study. The student body is tiny, fostering an environment where everyone is known. While specific details on housing, food, and clubs are limited in the provided sources, the nature of a traditional yeshiva implies a daily schedule built around seder (set study periods) in the beit midrash (study hall), prayer services, and shared meals. The campus is situated in Lakewood, New Jersey, a major global center of Orthodox Jewish life, providing a surrounding community that supports and reinforces the yeshiva's way of life. Athletics and a typical collegiate social scene are absent; the focus is on spiritual and intellectual growth within a closed, like-minded community.
Outcomes for graduates of this yeshiva are measured on a different scale than conventional career placement. The primary outcome is the formation of a talmid chacham—a Torah scholar. Many graduates likely continue in advanced rabbinical studies, enter Jewish education as teachers or principals, or serve as rabbis in communities worldwide. The extremely high retention rate (95%-100%) is a powerful indicator of student commitment and satisfaction with this path. Reported graduation rates vary widely, but this may reflect the yeshiva world's common practice of extended study, where students may spend many years learning before formally completing a degree. The institution's success is less about a diploma and more about the depth of Torah knowledge and religious commitment instilled in its students, preparing them for leadership roles within Orthodox Jewish life.
The cost structure is notably low for a private institution. The published tuition is $9,600. However, the after scholarships and grants—what students actually pay—is significantly lower. Sources report average net prices ranging from $7,820 to $10,016, with one source specifying an average aid package of $5,906. The yeshiva states that any student having difficulty meeting educational costs may contact the financial aid office directly, indicating a personalized, need-aware approach to assistance. Need-based scholarships are available and are designed to help when family resources cannot fully cover costs. The institution does not appear to have a prominent no-loan policy, as one source notes $0 in loans for some calculations, but the overall affordability is a key feature, making deep Torah study accessible to committed students from the Orthodox community.
Yeshiva Gedola Tiferes Yerachmiel stands out for its radical, uncompromising focus. In a higher education landscape obsessed with breadth, interdisciplinary study, and career preparation, this yeshiva offers the opposite: profound depth in a single, ancient discipline. It is not just a school with a strong religion department; it is a complete ecosystem for Torah study. Its identity is defined by its constraints: all-male, Orthodox Jewish, one major, located in the heart of a major religious community. This creates an intensity and purity of purpose rarely found elsewhere. The stunningly high retention rate reveals that for its target student—a young man seeking to devote years of his life to mastering Talmud—it delivers an exceptionally compelling and satisfying experience. It is a world apart, a place where the typical metrics of college rankings fall away, replaced by the timeless measure of scholarly and spiritual dedication.