Middlebury College
#10 Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage- Graduation Rate
- 92% A
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $76,310 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $31,483 F
- 84% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 11% A+
- Rejects about 89 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 17.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $17.9 over 20 years. Ranked #10 in Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage.
Every $1 spent returns $17.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,123,757.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduates earn 87% more than the national college median.
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A 92% graduation rate — 61% above the national average.
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Admits just 11% of applicants — one of the most selective institutions in the country.
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Every $1 invested returns $17.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.6%
- Top 35%
- Patents
- 10
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 28
- Downstream influence
Why Middlebury College Matters
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, VT and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 2,738
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical, Computer Science & IT, Psychology
Why students choose Middlebury College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 11% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1445–1550. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $31,483 a year after grants and scholarships — 84% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $76,310 ten years after enrolling — 87% above the typical college, against $13,857 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 61% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 11%, Middlebury College attracts students who are not only academically strong but also deeply engaged in their communities. It’s a place where you can dive into a diverse range of subjects, from Social Sciences to Biology and Computer Science. The student body of around 2,738 thrives on collaboration and intellectual exploration, making it ideal for those who value a tight-knit academic environment.
Looking at life after graduation, graduates can expect to earn around $76,310 within ten years of completing their degree. That’s a solid return on investment, especially considering the high graduation rate of 92%. The affordability factor is also noteworthy; this college is within reach for many families, particularly with the support of financial aid. While 16% of students receive Pell Grants, it’s clear there are resources available to help students succeed financially.
When it comes to the cost of attendance, the net price after aid stands at approximately $31,483, with a median debt of $13,857. This manageable debt level suggests that many students can graduate without overwhelming financial burdens. Middlebury is a great fit for those who are motivated, curious, and ready to engage deeply—not just with their studies, but with the world around them.
Rankings
- #10 Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage
- #14 Best Colleges in New England
- #18 Best Colleges for Social Work
- #18 Best Bachelor's in Social Work
- #18 Best Master's in Social Work
- #19 Best Liberal Arts Colleges
- #19 Best Colleges for Social Sciences
- #19 Best Colleges for Public Administration
Can I Get In?
How selective Middlebury College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Middlebury College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Middlebury, Vermont, Middlebury College sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,508. The graduation rate is roughly 92%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Retention Rate
- 94%
- SAT Average
- 1508
- ACT Midpoint
- 33
- SAT Range
- 1445–1550
- ACT Range
- 33–35
- Full-Time Faculty
- 91%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,875
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.66
- First-Gen Students
- 22%
- Applicants
- 12,952
- Admitted
- 1,644
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Middlebury College is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 42% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.
- Yield Rate
- 42%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 33%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 16%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Early Decision Admit Rate
- 39.0%
- vs 12.8% overall
Applying early pays off here. Of 1,179 Early Decision applicants, 460 were admitted — a 39.0% admit rate, roughly 3.1× the 12.8% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 73% of the entering class (460 of 634 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 49% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Middlebury College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Middlebury College is $67,600, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $31,483. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,723 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $13,857 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $67,600
- Out-of-State
- $67,600
- Avg Net Price
- $31,483
- Median Debt
- $13,857
- Pell Grant Rate
- 16%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 23%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $12,723
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $8,229
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,510
- Family Income $110K+
- $49,824
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Middlebury College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Middlebury College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Middlebury College earn a median of $76,310, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $57,291
- 8 Years
- $71,957
- 10 Years
- $76,310
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.18x
- Earning > $25K
- 71%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (503)
- 87%
- 100% (503)
- 87%
- 100% (503)
- 87%
- 100% (503)
- 87%
How Middlebury Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Middlebury College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Middlebury College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $31,483/year ($125,932 total). Graduates earn $76,310 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,249,689 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,123,757 (17.9× your investment). The median debt is $13,857, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 92% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $125,932
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,249,689
- Net Return
- $2,123,757
- ROI Multiple
- 17.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $31,483
- Median Debt
- $13,857
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 92%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Middlebury College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Middlebury College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.27%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 2.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 54.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $219,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.27%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 54.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 2.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $298,359
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Middlebury College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 10 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.65%
- Top 35% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 10
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 28
- Downstream influence
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-18,135,637
Top Programs
The fields Middlebury College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Social Sciences 32% $89,730 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 14% $42,934 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 7% $69,715 early-career
- Psychology 7% $50,714 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 4% $35,217 early-career
- English & Literature 3% $45,495 early-career
- Physical Sciences 3%
- Mathematics & Statistics 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Middlebury College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-AI/ML Engineer$156,000 · 23% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Computer Vision Engineer$145,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Middlebury College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Middlebury, Vermont, Middlebury College sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,508. The graduation rate is roughly 92%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Middlebury College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Middlebury College is $67,600, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $31,483. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,723 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $13,857 in federal student loans.
Is Middlebury College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Middlebury College earn a median of $76,310, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Middlebury College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Middlebury College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.27%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 2.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 54.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $219,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Middlebury College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Middlebury College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does Middlebury College offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?
Yes. Middlebury College offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 39%, about 3.1 times the overall 13% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 73% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Middlebury College is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is Middlebury College really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 49% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Middlebury College (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Middlebury College?
About 42% of admitted students choose to enroll at Middlebury College — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Compare Middlebury College
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Middlebury College.
- Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT · Close peer92% grad $73,897 earn 16% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN · Close peer90% grad $75,525 earn 20% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA · Close peer86% grad $76,178 earn 22% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Barnard CollegeNew York, NY · Close peer93% grad $80,516 earn 9% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY · Close peer91% grad $85,139 earn 14% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY · Close peer91% grad $78,411 earn 14% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Middlebury College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Middlebury College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note