Sweet Briar College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Sweet Briar, Virginia. It enrolls 443 students (a very small, intimate 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.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes37
Value58
Affordability54
Selectivity57
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 75.5%, Sweet Briar College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
75.5%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1100 – 1310
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
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 Sweet Briar College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
7.7 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Sweet Briar 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 $17,758 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$17,758
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
31%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
47%
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
$26,160
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,230
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,000
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,850
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$43,898
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
$11,734
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,568
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,247
$75,001 – $110,000
$20,188
Over $110,000
$24,710
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.
$3,14910%percentile
$6,00025%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$31,00075%percentile
$41,00090%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 $23,403
↓ $3,597
No Pell $16,250
↓ $10,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
34% of full-time students who enrolled at Sweet Briar College graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
34%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
73%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Sweet Briar College earn a median of $51,943 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$51,943
Earning > $25K
78%
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.
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 ↑
11.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 86% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Sweet Briar College is home to 443 students, an intimate, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
443
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
23%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 70.2%311
International 8.6%38
Black 8.4%37
Hispanic 6.3%28
Asian 2.9%13
Other 1.8%8
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Sweet Briar College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeSweet Briar, Virginia
Housing
Strongly residential561 beds for 443 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Women's college
What You Can Study
Sweet Briar College offers
a varied set of programs:
17 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 Sweet Briar College is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$135M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$64,590
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
45 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
5
11%
$96,032
Associate Professors
6
13%
$64,378
Assistant Professors
31
69%
$62,823
Instructors
3
7%
$50,140
Pros & Cons of Sweet Briar College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Sweet Briar College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Sweet Briar 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 Sweet Briar College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Sweet Briar College.
Is Sweet Briar College hard to get into?
Sweet Briar College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 75.5%.
What is the acceptance rate at Sweet Briar College?
Sweet Briar College has an acceptance rate of 75.5%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Sweet Briar College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Sweet Briar College scored between 1100 and 1310 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
How much does Sweet Briar College cost?
The average net price after aid at Sweet Briar College is $17,758 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Sweet Briar College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $51,943 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,758 per year. That's roughly 2.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Sweet Briar College known for?
Sweet Briar College is best known for its programs in Business, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Biology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Sweet Briar College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Sweet Briar College are $51,943, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Sweet Briar College accredited?
Yes. Sweet Briar College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Sweet Briar College?
Sweet Briar College enrolls 443 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Sweet Briar College?
Sweet Briar College graduates 34% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Sweet Briar College a public or private college?
Sweet Briar College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Sweet Briar College located?
Sweet Briar College is located in Sweet Briar, Virginia.
What programs does Sweet Briar College offer?
Sweet Briar College offers 17 distinct programs. The most popular include Business, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Biology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Sweet Briar College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sweet Briar College is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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