Vanderbilt University
#1 Best Colleges in Tennessee- Graduation Rate
- 93% A+
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $91,565 A+
- Top 2% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $15,846 C+
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 6% A+
- Rejects about 94 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: A B+ overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 37.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $37.9 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Colleges in Tennessee.
Every $1 spent returns $37.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,340,565.
What The Data Says
-
A B+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 125% more than the national college median.
-
A 93% graduation rate — 63% above the national average.
-
Inventor rate in the top 20% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
-
A top feeder school for 5 major employers.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 1.3%
- Top 20%
- Patents
- 132
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #51
- Times Higher Education
- Employer Pipelines
- 5
- Top feeder programs
- Patent Citations
- 390
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 60/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Vanderbilt University Matters
Vanderbilt University is a private research university in Nashville, TN ranked #51 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 2% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 7,208
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Vanderbilt University
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 6% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1500–1570. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $15,846 a year after grants and scholarships — 8% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $91,565 ten years after enrolling — 125% above the typical college, against $14,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 50% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.82 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 6%, Vanderbilt University attracts motivated students who are ready to dive into rigorous programs. Located in Nashville, this school is particularly appealing to those interested in Social Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, and Psychology. The small enrollment of about 7,200 means students often benefit from smaller class sizes, fostering a close-knit academic community where collaboration thrives.
Looking ahead to life after graduation, Vanderbilt graduates can expect to earn a median salary of $91,565 within ten years. This impressive figure reflects the university's strong emphasis on career readiness and networking opportunities. While the data on mobility isn't available, the high graduation rate of 93% speaks to the support students receive, which can help them move into successful careers.
When it comes to the financial aspect, students can expect a net price of around $15,846 after aid, which is quite manageable given the potential earnings. With a median debt of $14,000, graduates usually leave with a reasonable financial burden. Students who thrive here are often those who are driven, engaged, and ready to leverage the university's resources to achieve their goals.
Rankings
- #1 Best Colleges in Tennessee
- #1 Best Colleges in Southeast
- #1 Best Bachelor's Programs in Tennessee
- #1 Best Master's Programs in Tennessee
- #1 Best Online Colleges in Tennessee
- #1 Best Computer Science Colleges in Tennessee
- #1 Best Engineering Colleges in Tennessee
- #1 Best Psychology Colleges in Tennessee
Can I Get In?
How selective Vanderbilt University 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 Vanderbilt University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 6%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,549. The graduation rate is roughly 93%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Retention Rate
- 96%
- SAT Average
- 1549
- ACT Midpoint
- 35
- SAT Range
- 1500–1570
- ACT Range
- 34–35
- Full-Time Faculty
- 85%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $16,361
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 7:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.78
- First-Gen Students
- 12%
- Applicants
- 46,377
- Admitted
- 3,093
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · unknown
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Vanderbilt University 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. 78% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school very few admitted students turn down.
- Yield Rate
- 78%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 24%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 28%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Early Decision Admit Rate
- 14.1%
- vs 10.4% overall
Applying early pays off here. Of 6,202 Early Decision applicants, 874 were admitted — a 14.1% admit rate, roughly 1.4× the 10.4% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 4% of the entering class (874 of 234 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 52% 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 Vanderbilt University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Vanderbilt University is $67,498, 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 $15,846. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,414 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $14,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $67,498
- Out-of-State
- $67,498
- Avg Net Price
- $15,846
- Median Debt
- $14,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 20%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 10%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $3,414
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $1,876
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $4,498
- Family Income $110K+
- $45,145
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 Vanderbilt University — 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 Vanderbilt University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $91,565, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $73,909
- 8 Years
- $84,542
- 10 Years
- $91,565
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.15x
- Earning > $25K
- 82%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,416)
- 88%
- 100% (1,416)
- 88%
- 100% (1,416)
- 88%
- 100% (1,416)
- 88%
Where Grads Go
Vanderbilt University is a top feeder for:
Rank among programs feeding each employer.
Top employers of Vanderbilt University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
- Amazon ✓ VerifiedTechnology · Class of 2025
- Deloitte ✓ VerifiedConsulting · Class of 2025
- Highspring Consulting ✓ VerifiedConsulting · Class of 2025
- Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking ✓ VerifiedFinance & banking · Class of 2025
- Boston Consulting Group ✓ VerifiedConsulting · Class of 2025
- EY ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- EY-Parthenon ✓ VerifiedConsulting · Class of 2025
- UnitedHealth Group ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
How Vanderbilt 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 Vanderbilt University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Vanderbilt University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $15,846/year ($63,384 total). Graduates earn $91,565 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,403,949 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,340,565 (37.9× your investment). The median debt is $14,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 93% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $63,384
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,403,949
- Net Return
- $2,340,565
- ROI Multiple
- 37.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $15,846
- Median Debt
- $14,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 93%
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 Vanderbilt University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Vanderbilt University 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 1.47%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 2.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 59.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $197,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.47%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 59.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 2.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $268,877
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is Vanderbilt University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Vanderbilt University at #51 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 60/100, teaching at 65/100, and citation impact of 78/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
- World Rank
- #51
- Teaching
- 64.9
- Research
- 59.5
- Citations
- 78.1
- International
- 22.1
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Vanderbilt University produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 20% nationally), with 132 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 60/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 1.29%
- Top 20% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 132
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 390
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 60/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 78/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 84/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.38%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-436,493,181
Top Programs
The fields Vanderbilt University 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 31% $85,709 early-career
- Engineering 12% $87,268 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 9% $121,682 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 7% $29,935 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 4% $50,714 early-career
- Psychology 4% $37,196 early-career
- Education 3% $51,244 early-career
- Mathematics & Statistics 2% $95,423 early-career
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 Vanderbilt University'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 Vanderbilt University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 6%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,549. The graduation rate is roughly 93%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Vanderbilt University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Vanderbilt University is $67,498, 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 $15,846. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,414 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $14,000 in federal student loans.
Is Vanderbilt University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Vanderbilt University earn a median of $91,565, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Vanderbilt University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Vanderbilt University 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 1.47%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 2.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 59.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $197,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Vanderbilt University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Vanderbilt University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, 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 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Vanderbilt University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Vanderbilt University at #51 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 60/100, teaching at 65/100, and citation impact of 78/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does Vanderbilt University offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?
Yes. Vanderbilt University offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 14%, about 1.4 times the overall 10% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 4% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Vanderbilt University is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (unknown Common Data Set).
Is Vanderbilt University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 52% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Vanderbilt University (unknown Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Vanderbilt University?
About 78% of admitted students choose to enroll at Vanderbilt University — its yield rate (unknown Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
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Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Vanderbilt University.
- University of ChicagoChicago, IL · Close peer95% grad $91,885 earn 4% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Brown UniversityProvidence, RI · Close peer96% grad $93,487 earn 5% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Close peer97% grad $101,817 earn 4% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Close peer94% grad $87,555 earn 6% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Rice UniversityHouston, TX · Close peer95% grad $89,718 earn 8% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · Close peer91% grad $80,137 earn 11% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Vanderbilt University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Vanderbilt University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, 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 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note