Williams College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It enrolls 2,076 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.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar4-1-4 Plan
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
89/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes97
Value91
Affordability38
Selectivity98
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 8.3%, Williams College is among the most selective colleges in the country.
Acceptance Rate
8.3%
Highly Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1490 – 1570
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
34 – 35
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 Williams College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
2.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Williams 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 $17,716 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$17,716
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
18%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
5%
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
$68,560
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,260
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,700
Total Cost of Attendance
$84,860
Application fee: $65 (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
$-2,610
$30,001 – $48,000
$-1,727
$48,001 – $75,000
$-1,978
$75,001 – $110,000
$3,030
Over $110,000
$49,594
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.
$2,45010%percentile
$6,71925%percentile
$12,761Medianpercentile
$19,75075%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 $7,223
↓ $5,538
No Pell $13,416
↑ $655
Female students $9,700
↓ $3,061
Male students $12,000
↓ $761
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,000, less than completers ($12,761), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
95% of full-time students who enrolled at Williams College graduate within six years, and 97% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
95%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
97%
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 Williams College earn a median of $88,665 ten years after first enrolling. That's well above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$88,665
Earning > $25K
90%
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
$77,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$102,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$117,600
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$78,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$85,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $24,900, about 24% 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 ↑
5.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 90% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Williams College is home to 2,076 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
2,076
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
22%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 46.6%968
Hispanic 14.1%293
Asian 12.5%259
International 8.8%183
Other 7.6%157
Black 6.1%126
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Williams College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: FringeWilliamstown, Massachusetts
Housing
Strongly residential2,078 beds for 2,076 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
4-1-4 Planscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Williams College offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
14 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 Williams College is 6:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
6:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$3.9B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$134,125
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
308 instructional faculty across 6 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
129
42%
$172,815
Associate Professors
49
16%
$123,183
Assistant Professors
74
24%
$109,348
Instructors
3
1%
$106,832
Lecturers
11
4%
$129,966
No Rank
42
14%
$76,127
Pros & Cons of Williams College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Williams 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
Best for:
Based on the data, Williams College is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students seeking a highly selective peer group.
Frequently Asked Questions about Williams College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Williams College.
Is Williams College hard to get into?
Yes. Williams College is among the most selective colleges in the United States, with an acceptance rate of 8.3%. Successful applicants typically have top-decile test scores and strong academic, extracurricular, and recommendation profiles.
What is the acceptance rate at Williams College?
Williams College has an acceptance rate of 8.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Williams College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Williams College scored between 1490 and 1570 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 Williams College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Williams College scored between 34 and 35 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Williams College cost?
The average net price after aid at Williams College is $17,716 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Williams College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $88,665 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,716 per year. That's roughly 5.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Williams College known for?
Williams College is best known for its programs in Economics, Psychology, English. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Williams College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Williams College are $88,665, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Williams College accredited?
Yes. Williams College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Williams College?
Williams College enrolls 2,076 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Williams College?
Williams College graduates 95% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Williams College a public or private college?
Williams College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Williams College located?
Williams College is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
What programs does Williams College offer?
Williams College offers 33 distinct programs. The most popular include Economics, Psychology, English.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Williams College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Williams College is 6:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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