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Yale University

#1 Best Colleges in Connecticut
Private nonprofit New Haven, CT · Urban · New England · 100% data
A+ Selectivity A+ Earnings A+ Graduation
Graduation Rate
96% A+
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$100,533 A+
Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$23,777 D+
39% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
4% A+
Rejects about 96 of every 100 applicants
Earnings +147% vs avg
Graduation +68% vs avg
Net Price 39% vs avg
Mobility Top 26%

Bottom line: A B+ overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 27.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $27.4 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Colleges in Connecticut.

27.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $27.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,514,220.

What The Data Says

  1. A B+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 147% more than the national college median.

  3. A 96% graduation rate — 68% above the national average.

  4. Inventor rate in the top 15% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.

  5. A top feeder school for 5 major employers.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
1.7%
Top 15%
Patents
173
Linked to graduates
World Rank
#10
Times Higher Education
Employer Pipelines
5
Top feeder programs
Patent Citations
188
Downstream influence
Research Score
90/100
Times Higher Education

Why Yale University Matters

Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, CT ranked #10 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 1% 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
6,758
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical, Computer Science & IT, Mathematics & Statistics

Why students choose Yale University

Elite STEM ecosystem
Engineering, computing, and the sciences dominate its programs
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Entrepreneurial, inventive students
Above-average inventor and patent activity
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Highly selective peer group
Surrounded by exceptionally high-achieving students
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 1% of colleges

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B+
Top 20% overall
A+
Earnings
$100,533 median
B
Value
4.2× net price
D+
Affordability
$23,777/yr net
A+
Graduation
96% graduate
B
Social Mobility
2.1% climb Q1→Q5
A+
Selectivity
4% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.80 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →
1
Can I Get In?

Admissions

Highly selective
4% admit rate

Highly selective — admits about 4% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1470–1570. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.

Check your odds →
2
Can I Afford It?

Net price + aid

D+
$23,777/yr net

Students pay about $23,777 a year after grants and scholarships — 39% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.

See cost & aid →
3
What Happens After?

Earnings + debt

A+
$100,533 median

Graduates earn a median of $100,533 ten years after enrolling — 147% above the typical college, against $12,975 in median debt.

See outcomes →
4
Does It Change Lives?

Mobility + social capital

B
2.1% climb

Moves 2.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 26% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.72 economic connectedness).

See mobility →

Overview

Yale University boasts an impressive graduation rate of 96%, indicating that most students who enroll successfully complete their degrees. This high level of achievement reflects the supportive academic environment and resources available to students.

According to Opportunity Insights data, Yale's graduates have a median earnings of $100,533 ten years after enrollment. While specific mobility rates are not available, the strong earnings potential suggests that graduates are likely to experience upward economic mobility, particularly when compared to peers from lower-income backgrounds.

The net price for attending Yale is $23,777, with a median debt of $12,975. This financial landscape allows students to invest in their education while keeping debt manageable. Students who thrive here tend to be those who are motivated and eager to engage deeply in their studies, particularly in top fields such as social sciences, biology, and engineering.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Yale University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Yale University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 4%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,534. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.

Acceptance Rate
4%
Retention Rate
99%
SAT Average
1534
ACT Midpoint
34
SAT Range
1470–1570
ACT Range
33–35
Full-Time Faculty
75%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$22,590
Student–Faculty Ratio
6:1
Diversity Index
0.80
First-Gen Students
25%
Applicants
50,060
Admitted
2,289

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 Yale University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Yale University is $67,250, 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 $23,777. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,633 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,975 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$67,250
Out-of-State
$67,250
Avg Net Price
$23,777
Median Debt
$12,975
Pell Grant Rate
20%
Federal Loan Rate
5%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$17,633
Family Income $30K–$48K
$15,626
Family Income $48K–$75K
$17,943
Family Income $110K+
$45,951

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Yale University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Yale University earn a median of $100,533, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$81,765
8 Years
$94,821
10 Years
$100,533
Debt-to-Earnings
0.13x
Earning > $25K
83%

Earnings Trajectory

$81,765 6yr $94,821 8yr $100,533 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (1,140)
84%
100% (1,140)
84%
100% (1,140)
84%
100% (1,140)
84%

Where Grads Go

Yale University is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

Top employers of Yale University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

Explore the Career Destination Guide → Source: Yale University — Full-Time MBA Employment Report (Class of 2024)

How Yale Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation96%Earnings 10yr$101KNet Price$24KRetention99%Median Debt$13KPell Grant Rate20%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$18K$0-30K$16K$30-48K$18K$48-75K$46K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%3.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%57.3%MOBILITY2.08%

College ROI Calculator

Is Yale University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Yale University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $23,777/year ($95,108 total). Graduates earn $100,533 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,609,328 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,514,220 (27.4× your investment). The median debt is $12,975, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 96% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$95,108
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,609,328
Net Return
$2,514,220
ROI Multiple
27.4×
Cost Per Year
$23,777
Median Debt
$12,975
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
96%
Explore all Yale University ROI scenarios

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 Yale University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Yale 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 2.08%, among the highest in the country. Access is narrower: only about 3.6% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 57.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $199,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.08%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
57.3%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
3.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$199,700

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Yale 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 Yale University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.72, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), 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.

Economic Connectedness
1.72
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
11.9%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Research & Teaching

Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings

How Research-Intensive Is Yale University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places Yale University at #10 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 90/100, teaching at 92/100, and citation impact of 92/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

World Rank
#10
Teaching
92.1
Research
89.7
Citations
91.5
International
59.2

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Yale University produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 15% nationally), with 173 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 90/100 research score.

Inventor Rate
1.72%
Top 15% nationally
Patents Produced
173
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
188
Downstream influence
Research Score
90/100
Times Higher Ed
Academic Influence
92/100
Citation impact (THE)
Inventors From Low-Income
0.47%
Bottom-20% families

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Top Programs

The fields Yale University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Top Careers

Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Yale University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Yale University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 4%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,534. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Yale University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Yale University is $67,250, 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 $23,777. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,633 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,975 in federal student loans.

Is Yale University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Yale University earn a median of $100,533, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Yale University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Yale 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 2.08%, among the highest in the country. Access is narrower: only about 3.6% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 57.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $199,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Yale 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 Yale University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.72, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), 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.

How Research-Intensive Is Yale University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places Yale University at #10 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 90/100, teaching at 92/100, and citation impact of 92/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

Compare Yale University

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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