Hampshire College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Amherst, Massachusetts. It enrolls 839 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.
Good
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes47
Value18
Affordability49
Selectivity53
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 75.3%, Hampshire College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
75.3%
Easy
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 Hampshire College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
68.4 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Hampshire 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 $24,034 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,034
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
39%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
62%
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
$58,896
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,958
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,958
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,490
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,490
Total Cost of Attendance
$74,195
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
$13,749
$30,001 – $48,000
$15,251
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,165
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,447
Over $110,000
$37,221
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.
$5,00010%percentile
$8,18725%percentile
$26,893Medianpercentile
$26,74975%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 $25,400
↓ $1,493
No Pell $23,123
↓ $3,770
Dependent students $25,000
↓ $1,893
Independent students $23,300
↓ $3,593
Female students $25,000
↓ $1,893
Male students $24,783
↓ $2,110
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,281, less than completers ($26,893), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
66% of full-time students who enrolled at Hampshire College graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
66%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Hampshire College earn a median of $46,938 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,938
Earning > $25K
67%
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
$35,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$45,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$50,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,400, 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.
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 ↑
14.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 85% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Hampshire College is home to 839 students, a small, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
839
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
14%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 62.2%522
Hispanic 13.0%109
Black 7.3%61
Other 5.7%48
International 5.1%43
Asian 2.2%18
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Hampshire College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeAmherst, Massachusetts
Housing
Strongly residential1,180 beds for 839 students
Adult Learners
5%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Hampshire College offers
a varied set of programs:
27 distinct programs across
19 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 Hampshire College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$58M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$86,952
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
47 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
15
32%
$108,823
Associate Professors
11
23%
$90,277
Assistant Professors
17
36%
$69,328
Instructors
4
9%
$70,693
Pros & Cons of Hampshire College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Hampshire College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Tight-knit, close community feel
Above-average graduation rate
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Modest first-year retention
High published cost of attendance before aid
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Hampshire College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hampshire College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Hampshire College.
Is Hampshire College hard to get into?
Hampshire College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 75.3%.
What is the acceptance rate at Hampshire College?
Hampshire College has an acceptance rate of 75.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Hampshire College cost?
The average net price after aid at Hampshire College is $24,034 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Hampshire College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,938 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,034 per year. That's roughly 2.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Hampshire College known for?
Hampshire College is best known for its programs in Fine Arts, Sociology, Natural Resources Conservation and Research. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Hampshire College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Hampshire College are $46,938, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Hampshire College accredited?
Yes. Hampshire College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Hampshire College?
Hampshire College enrolls 839 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Hampshire College?
Hampshire College graduates 66% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Hampshire College a public or private college?
Hampshire College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Hampshire College located?
Hampshire College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts.
What programs does Hampshire College offer?
Hampshire College offers 27 distinct programs. The most popular include Fine Arts, Sociology, Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Hampshire College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Hampshire College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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