Dean College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Franklin, Massachusetts. It enrolls 1,089 students (a small, tight-knit 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.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
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.
Fair
50/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes37
Value3
Affordability33
Selectivity55
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 73.7%, Dean College is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
73.7%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Dean College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
4.9 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Dean 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 $30,684 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$30,684
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
34%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
72%
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
$46,526
Room & Board (on-campus)
$19,864
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,355
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,570
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,570
Total Cost of Attendance
$64,889
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
$26,996
$30,001 – $48,000
$26,798
$48,001 – $75,000
$28,640
$75,001 – $110,000
$31,161
Over $110,000
$34,318
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.
$3,41010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$17,00075%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 $12,000
↓ $13,000
No Pell $12,000
↓ $13,000
Dependent students $12,000
↓ $13,000
Independent students $10,500
↓ $14,500
Female students $13,241
↓ $11,759
Male students $12,000
↓ $13,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
42% of full-time students who enrolled at Dean College graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
42%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
72%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Dean College earn a median of $38,109 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,109
Earning > $25K
60%
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
$33,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$41,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$41,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,800, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
16.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Dean College is home to 1,089 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 32% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,089
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
32%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 62.7%683
Hispanic 12.3%134
Black 11.3%123
Other 5.1%55
International 2.3%25
Asian 1.7%18
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Dean College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbFranklin, Massachusetts
Housing
Strongly residential1,028 beds for 1,089 students
Adult Learners
5%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Dean College offers
a varied set of programs:
31 distinct programs across
13 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 Dean College is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$65M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,164
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
33 instructional faculty across 3 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
6
18%
$73,932
Associate Professors
10
30%
$68,368
Assistant Professors
17
52%
$62,125
Pros & Cons of Dean College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Dean College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Reasonable class sizes
Tight-knit, close community feel
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Below-average completion rate
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Dean College is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dean College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Dean College.
Is Dean College hard to get into?
Admissions at Dean College are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 73.7%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Dean College?
Dean College has an acceptance rate of 73.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Dean College cost?
The average net price after aid at Dean College is $30,684 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dean College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,109 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $30,684 per year. That's roughly 1.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Dean College known for?
Dean College is best known for its programs in Kinesiology, Dance, Drama & Theatre. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Dean College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Dean College are $38,109, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Dean College accredited?
Yes. Dean College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Dean College?
Dean College enrolls 1,089 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Dean College?
Dean College graduates 42% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Dean College a public or private college?
Dean College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Dean College located?
Dean College is located in Franklin, Massachusetts.
What programs does Dean College offer?
Dean College offers 31 distinct programs. The most popular include Kinesiology, Dance, Drama & Theatre.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Dean College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dean College is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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