Davidson College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Davidson, North Carolina. It enrolls 1,867 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Excellent
88/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes96
Value89
Affordability38
Selectivity95
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 13.4%, Davidson College is a selective institution.
Acceptance Rate
13.4%
Very Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1400 – 1530
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
31 – 34
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Davidson College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
3.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Davidson College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $17,379 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$17,379
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
18%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
9%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$64,410
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,100
Books & Supplies
$825
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,925
Total Cost of Attendance
$79,475
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,497
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,354
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,759
$75,001 – $110,000
$18,616
Over $110,000
$42,346
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$7,50025%percentile
$18,688Medianpercentile
$24,04975%percentile
$27,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $16,439
↓ $2,249
No Pell $16,522
↓ $2,166
Female students $15,000
↓ $3,688
Male students $18,500
↓ $188
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,500, less than completers ($18,688), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
94% of full-time students who enrolled at Davidson College graduate within six years, and 95% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
94%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
95%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Davidson College earn a median of $81,400 ten years after first enrolling. That's well above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$81,400
Earning > $25K
91%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$61,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$80,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $18,700, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$4.7 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Davidson College is home to 1,867 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,867
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
16%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 60.4%1,128
Hispanic 11.1%208
International 10.7%200
Black 6.9%128
Asian 5.3%99
Other 4.6%85
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Davidson College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbDavidson, North Carolina
Housing
Strongly residential1,788 beds for 1,867 students
Adult Learners
0%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Davidson College offers
a varied set of programs:
29 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Davidson College is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$1.6B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$113,945
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
226 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
85
38%
$153,479
Associate Professors
49
22%
$111,068
Assistant Professors
86
38%
$80,393
Lecturers
6
3%
$58,290
Pros & Cons of Davidson College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Davidson College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Highly selective, strong peer cohort
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Strong six-year graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
Highly competitive admissions, many strong applicants are rejected
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Davidson College is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students seeking a highly selective peer group.
Frequently Asked Questions about Davidson College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Davidson College.
Is Davidson College hard to get into?
Davidson College is highly selective. Its acceptance rate is 13.4%, so admitted students generally have strong grades, competitive test scores, and a well-rounded application.
What is the acceptance rate at Davidson College?
Davidson College has an acceptance rate of 13.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Davidson College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Davidson College scored between 1400 and 1530 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Davidson College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Davidson College scored between 31 and 34 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Davidson College cost?
The average net price after aid at Davidson College is $17,379 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Davidson College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $81,400 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,379 per year. That's roughly 4.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Davidson College known for?
Davidson College is best known for its programs in Biology, Economics, Political Science. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Davidson College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Davidson College are $81,400, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Davidson College accredited?
Yes. Davidson College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Davidson College?
Davidson College enrolls 1,867 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Davidson College?
Davidson College graduates 94% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Davidson College a public or private college?
Davidson College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Davidson College located?
Davidson College is located in Davidson, North Carolina.
What programs does Davidson College offer?
Davidson College offers 29 distinct programs. The most popular include Biology, Economics, Political Science.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Davidson College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Davidson College is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in North Carolina
Other colleges in North Carolina share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Graduation rate
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