Wellesley College
#2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges- Graduation Rate
- 91% A
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $84,803 A+
- Top 3% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $25,496 D
- 49% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 14% A
- Rejects about 86 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 23.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $23.1 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Liberal Arts Colleges.
Every $1 spent returns $23.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,257,059.
What The Data Says
-
A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 108% more than the national college median.
-
A 91% graduation rate — 60% above the national average.
-
Inventor rate in the top 24% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
-
Social mobility rate of 2.41% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 1.0%
- Top 24%
- Patents
- 37
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 35
- Downstream influence
Why Wellesley College Matters
Wellesley College is a private liberal arts college in Wellesley, MA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 3% 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
- 2,300
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical, Physical Sciences
Why students choose Wellesley 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 14% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1460–1560. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,496 a year after grants and scholarships — 49% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $84,803 ten years after enrolling — 108% above the typical college, against $10,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 19% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Wellesley College is a great fit for students who are focused on a strong academic experience and personal growth. With an acceptance rate of just 14%, this school attracts motivated individuals who are passionate about subjects like Social Sciences, Biology, and Computer Science. The environment here is tailored for those who thrive in a rigorous, supportive setting, making it a solid choice for anyone serious about their studies.
After graduation, Wellesley alumni see impressive outcomes, with a median earnings figure of $84,803 after ten years. This reflects the value of a Wellesley education in the job market. While the cost of attendance can be a concern, the school’s commitment to affordability helps many students manage their financial futures. The relatively low median debt of $10,000 for graduates suggests that most leave with manageable financial obligations.
When it comes to the practicalities, the net price after aid sits at $25,496, which is reasonable for a private institution. Students who tend to thrive here are often those who appreciate a close-knit community and seek a challenging academic environment. With a graduation rate of 91%, it’s clear that Wellesley supports its students well, helping them not just to finish their degrees, but to succeed afterward.
Rankings
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges
- #2 Best Computer Science Colleges in Massachusetts
- #2 Best Data Science Colleges in Massachusetts
- #3 Best Small Colleges
- #3 Best Biology Colleges in Massachusetts
- #4 Best Colleges in Massachusetts
- #4 Best Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
- #4 Best Master's Programs in Massachusetts
Can I Get In?
How selective Wellesley 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 Wellesley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Wellesley College, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, sets a competitive bar: about 14% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,520. The graduation rate is roughly 91%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 14%
- Retention Rate
- 97%
- SAT Average
- 1520
- ACT Midpoint
- 33
- SAT Range
- 1460–1560
- ACT Range
- 33–35
- Full-Time Faculty
- 80%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $14,120
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 7:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.79
- First-Gen Students
- 17%
- Applicants
- 8,491
- Admitted
- 1,152
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Wellesley 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. 46% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school more than half of admitted students choose.
- Yield Rate
- 46%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 44%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 18%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Early Decision Admit Rate
- 29.4%
- vs 14.8% overall
Applying early pays off here. Of 1,023 Early Decision applicants, 301 were admitted — a 29.4% admit rate, roughly 2.0× the 14.8% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 52% of the entering class (301 of 576 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 62% 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 Wellesley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Wellesley College is $67,176, 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 $25,496. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,546 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $67,176
- Out-of-State
- $67,176
- Avg Net Price
- $25,496
- Median Debt
- $10,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 21%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 16%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $2,546
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $2,836
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $6,587
- Family Income $110K+
- $54,188
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 Wellesley 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 Wellesley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wellesley College earn a median of $84,803, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $65,961
- 8 Years
- $72,216
- 10 Years
- $84,803
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.12x
- Earning > $25K
- 76%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (506)
- 86%
- 100% (506)
- 86%
- 100% (506)
- 86%
- 100% (506)
- 86%
How Wellesley 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 Wellesley College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Wellesley College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,496/year ($101,984 total). Graduates earn $84,803 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,359,043 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,257,059 (23.1× your investment). The median debt is $10,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 91% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $101,984
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,359,043
- Net Return
- $2,257,059
- ROI Multiple
- 23.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $25,496
- Median Debt
- $10,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 91%
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 Wellesley College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wellesley 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 2.41%, among the highest in the country. About 5.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 43.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $142,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.41%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 43.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 5.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $193,608
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Wellesley College produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 24% nationally), with 37 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 1.00%
- Top 24% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 37
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 35
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.84%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $9,407,000
- Investment Income
- $-301,387,000
Top Programs
The fields Wellesley 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 23% $90,849 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 15% $103,215 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 12% $45,495 early-career
- Physical Sciences 9%
- Psychology 7% $42,901 early-career
- English & Literature 5% $37,207 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 4% $43,146 early-career
- 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 Wellesley 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 Wellesley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Wellesley College, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, sets a competitive bar: about 14% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,520. The graduation rate is roughly 91%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Wellesley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Wellesley College is $67,176, 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 $25,496. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,546 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,000 in federal student loans.
Is Wellesley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wellesley College earn a median of $84,803, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Wellesley College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wellesley 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 2.41%, among the highest in the country. About 5.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 43.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $142,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Wellesley 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 Wellesley College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 17% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does Wellesley College offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?
Yes. Wellesley College offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 29%, about 2.0 times the overall 15% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 52% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Wellesley College is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (2025-26 Common Data Set).
Is Wellesley College really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 62% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Wellesley College (2025-26 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Wellesley College?
About 46% of admitted students choose to enroll at Wellesley College — its yield rate (2025-26 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 Wellesley College.
- Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY · Close peer91% grad $78,411 earn 14% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA · Close peer94% grad $77,644 earn 9% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA · Close peer93% grad $80,257 earn 7% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN · Close peer90% grad $75,525 earn 20% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY · Close peer91% grad $85,139 earn 14% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Haverford CollegeHaverford, PA · Close peer90% grad $79,966 earn 12% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Wellesley 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 Wellesley College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 17% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note