Amherst College

www.amherst.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$60,700

1.35% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$18,809

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.97%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

8.74%

27,998 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

3,942

100% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

92.4%

878 Graduates

About

Amherst College is a higher education institution located in Hampshire County, MA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Amherst College were General Mathematics (50 degrees awarded), Other Research & Experimental Psychology (37 degrees), and Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (37 degrees).

In 2021, 468 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Amherst College. 48.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 51.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (204 degrees), 2.87 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (71 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Amherst College is $60,700, which is $32,195 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,505).

Photo by Thought Catalog

Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Amherst College is $60,700, which is $32,195 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,505).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,809.

In 2021, 64% of undergraduate students attending Amherst College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 9% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$60,700

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Amherst College was $60,700. The cost of tuition at Amherst College is $32,195 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,505).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Amherst College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$18,809

2021 Value

0.122%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Amherst College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,809. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Amherst College grew by 0.122%.

This chart compares the average net price of Amherst College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,910

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Amherst College was of $15,910 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.92% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Amherst College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

64%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

64% of undergraduate students at Amherst College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 6.67% with respect to 2020, when 60% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Amherst College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.97%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Amherst College was 1.97%, which represents 3 out of the 152 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Amherst College received 27,998 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 32% annual growth. Out of those 27,998 applicants, 2,448 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 8.74% acceptance rate.

There were 3,942 students enrolled at Amherst College in 2021. 36% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Amherst College has an overall enrollment yield of 42.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

8.74%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

2,448

Accepted Out of 27,998

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Amherst College was 8.74% (2,448 admissions from 27,998 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 11.8%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 32%, while admissions declined by −2.39%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Amherst College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

36%

Submission Percentage (2021)

366

Scores Submitted (2021)

36% of enrolled first-time students at Amherst College in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Amherst College had a total enrollment of 3,942 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Amherst College is 3,942 students and the part-time enrollment is 0. This means that 100% of students enrolled at Amherst College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Amherst College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 38.8% White, 15.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 10.3% Black or African American, 7.41% Two or More Races, 0.254% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.203% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Amherst College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (19.6%), followed by White Male (19.2%) and Asian Female (8.32%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

100%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Amherst College in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 3,942 students. The full-time enrollment at Amherst College is 3,942 and the part-time enrollment is 0. This means that 100% of students enrolled at Amherst College are enrolled full-time compared with 79.9% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Amherst College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

98%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Amherst College was 98%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (72%), Amherst College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Amherst College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,528 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
608 enrolled students
Asian
598 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Amherst College is 38.8% White, 15.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 10.3% Black or African American, 7.41% Two or More Races, 0.254% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.203% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 55% White, 13.5% Black or African American, and 13.4% Hispanic or Latino.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 80 students (2.03%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 12 fewer women than men received degrees from Amherst College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Amherst College is white (204 degrees awarded). There were 2.87 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (71 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Amherst College is General Mathematics (50 degrees awarded), followed by Other Research & Experimental Psychology (37 degrees) and Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (37 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Amherst College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Math & Statistics (73 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (20 degrees), and History (25 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Postsecondary teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Amherst College are Postsecondary teachers (180,970 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (159,264 people), Other managers (142,276 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (135,993 people), and Secondary school teachers (111,510 people).

The most specialized majors at Amherst College in 2021 are Math & Statistics (73 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (20 degrees), History (25 degrees), Physical Sciences (36 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (21 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Amherst College are Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Clinical and counseling psychologists, and Computer hardware engineers

The most specialized majors at Amherst College are Math & Statistics (73 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (20 degrees), History (25 degrees), Physical Sciences (36 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (21 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Amherst College are Elementary & secondary schools (353,258 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (320,754 people), Computer Systems Design (147,893 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (123,162 people), and Legal services (107,237 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Amherst College.

Most Common (2021)

General Mathematics
50 degree-majors awarded
Other Research & Experimental Psychology
37 degree-majors awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
37 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Amherst College was General Mathematics with 50 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Amherst College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

240

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

228

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 240 degrees were awarded to men at Amherst College, which is 1.05 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (228).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Amherst College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 29 degrees were awarded to men at Amherst College in General Mathematics, which is 1.38 times more than the 21 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 25 degrees were awarded to men at Amherst College in Other Research & Experimental Psychology, which is 2.08 times more than the 12 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

88%

100% Completion Time

95%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 88% of students graduating from Amherst College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 95% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 96% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Amherst College is Female and Asian (100% graduation rate). Across all Baccalaureate Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 7.06% of graduates (62 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
204 degrees awarded
Asian
71 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
63 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Amherst College is white (204 degrees awarded). There were 2.87 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (71 degrees).

0.855% of degree recipients (4 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Male
111 degrees awarded
White Female
93 degrees awarded
Asian Female
38 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Amherst College is white male (111 degrees awarded). There were 1.19 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (93 degrees).

Operations

Amherst College has an endowment valued at nearly $3.78B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 2.86B (75.8%) compared to the 17.4% average return (9.13M on 52.4M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2021, Amherst College had a total salary expenditure of 231M. Amherst College employs 210 Professors, 164 Assistant professors and 86 Associate professors. Most academics at Amherst College are Male Professor (114), Female Professor (96), and Female Assistant professor (88).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Amherst College are: Service, with 376 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 228 employees, and Management with 190 employees.

Endowment

$3.78B

2021 Endowment

47.2%

growth from 2020

Amherst College has an endowment valued at about $3.78B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Amherst College grew 47.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $3.72B higher than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Amherst College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$5.46M - Federal
$214k - State
$0 - Local

As of 2021, Amherst College received $5.46M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $214k from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$97.9M

2021 Salaries

0.85%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Amherst College paid a median of $97.9M in salaries, which represents 42.3% of their overall expenditure ($231M) and a 0.85% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 17.5% growth from 2019 and a 5.29% growth from 2018.

The median for similar Baccalaureate Colleges is 15.1M (38.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$64.8M

Instructional Salaries

534

Number of Employees

In 2021, Amherst College paid a total of $64.8M to 534 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $9.84M (65%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

210 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

376 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Amherst College were Professor with 210 employees, Assistant professor with 164 employees, and Associate professor with 86 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Amherst College were Service with 376 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 228 employees, and Management with 190 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Amherst College was Male Professor with 114 employees, Female Professor with 96 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 88 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Amherst College.