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Wellesley College

Private Nonprofit Bachelor's Strong 82/100

Wellesley College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Wellesley, Massachusetts

About Wellesley College

Wellesley College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It enrolls 2,300 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.

Official website: wellesley.edu

Acceptance: 14.1%
Graduation: 92.7%
Net Price: $25,496
Median Earnings (10yr): $84,803
Enrollment: 2,300
Student : Faculty: 7:1

Accreditor New England Commission on Higher Education

Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Strong

82/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 96

Value 70

Affordability 24

Selectivity 96

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 14.1%, Wellesley College is a selective institution.

Acceptance Rate

14.1%

Very Selective

SAT Range (25th–75th)

1460 – 1560

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

33 – 35

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized 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 Wellesley 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 Wellesley 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 $25,496 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$25,496

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

21%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

16%

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: $67,176
Room & Board (on-campus): $21,024
Room & Board (off-campus): $21,024
Books & Supplies: $800
Other Expenses (on-campus): $1,250
Other Expenses (off-campus): $2,250
Total Cost of Attendance: $86,290

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

$2,546
$30,001 – $48,000

$2,836
$48,001 – $75,000

$6,587
$75,001 – $110,000

$11,551
Over $110,000

$54,188

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.

$2,634

10% percentile

$5,204

25% percentile

$10,000

Median percentile

$15,000

75% percentile

$21,500

90% 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 $6,400 ↓ $3,600

No Pell $10,000 —

Dependent students $8,700 ↓ $1,300

Independent students $6,297 ↓ $3,703

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

93% of full-time students who enrolled at Wellesley College graduate within six years, and 96% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

93%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

96%

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 Wellesley College earn a median of $84,803 ten years after first enrolling. That's well above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$84,803

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 Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$79,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$70,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$68,900

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

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.

Stable ↑ 1.7 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Excellent. 94% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Wellesley College is home to 2,300 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled

2,300

Part-Time

First-Generation

17%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 29.8% 686

Asian 25.7% 591

Hispanic 14.4% 331

International 13.4% 307

Black 8.4% 194

Other 8.0% 184

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Wellesley College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Large Suburb Wellesley, Massachusetts

Housing

Strongly residential 2,191 beds for 2,300 students

Adult Learners

1% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Women's college

What You Can Study

Wellesley College offers a varied set of programs: 39 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.

3 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Neurobiology $62K ($41K–$89K)
Biochemistry & Biophysics $65K ($45K–$88K)

2 Programs

Computer Science

Information Systems $92K ($64K–$128K)
Computer Software & Media $59K ($36K–$88K)

4 Programs

Physical Sciences

Chemistry $65K ($48K–$84K)
Physics $77K ($52K–$103K)
Astronomy $68K ($44K–$99K)

2 Programs

Cultural Studies

Area Studies $57K ($37K–$78K)
Ethnic Studies $52K ($35K–$68K)

4 Programs

Visual & Performing Arts

Fine Arts $41K ($26K–$57K)
Film & Video Production $44K ($26K–$63K)
Music $43K ($26K–$59K)

5 Programs

Interdisciplinary Studies

2 Programs

English

English $49K ($34K–$64K)
Rhetoric & Composition $48K ($32K–$67K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Wellesley College is 7:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).

Student : Faculty

7:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$3.1B

Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability

Avg Faculty Salary

$120,638

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

332 instructional faculty across 5 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	108	33%	$163,318
Associate Professors	67	20%	$120,293
Assistant Professors	34	10%	$102,747
Lecturers	79	24%	$92,444
No Rank	44	13%	$80,847

Pros & Cons of Wellesley College

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Wellesley College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

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
Low typical debt at graduation

CONS

Above-average net price
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, Wellesley College is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students seeking a highly selective peer group.

Frequently Asked Questions about Wellesley College

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Wellesley College.

Is Wellesley College hard to get into?

Wellesley College is highly selective. Its acceptance rate is 14.1%, so admitted students generally have strong grades, competitive test scores, and a well-rounded application.

What is the acceptance rate at Wellesley College?

Wellesley College has an acceptance rate of 14.1%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Wellesley College?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Wellesley College scored between 1460 and 1560 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 Wellesley College?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Wellesley College scored between 33 and 35 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Wellesley College cost?

The average net price after aid at Wellesley College is $25,496 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Wellesley College worth it?

Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $84,803 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $25,496 per year. That's roughly 3.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Wellesley College known for?

Wellesley College is best known for its programs in Economics, Experimental Psychology, Information Systems. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Wellesley College graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Wellesley College are $84,803, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Wellesley College accredited?

Yes. Wellesley College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.

How many students attend Wellesley College?

Wellesley College enrolls 2,300 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Wellesley College?

Wellesley College graduates 93% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Wellesley College a public or private college?

Wellesley College is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Wellesley College located?

Wellesley College is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

What programs does Wellesley College offer?

Wellesley College offers 39 distinct programs. The most popular include Economics, Experimental Psychology, Information Systems.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Wellesley College?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Wellesley College is 7:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.