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Bennington College
About 45 in 100 applicants get into Bennington College — solidly within reach for students near the ranges below.
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Bennington College anchors the college town of Bennington, VT, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 11.8% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Visual and Performing Arts, General, where graduates median $39,958 four years out. Faculty pay averages $120,660 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 780 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 82% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1290 and 1413 — above the VT middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Bennington College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1290–1413 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, Bennington College's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 690 | 715 | 740 |
| SAT Math | 600 | 635 | 673 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 30 | 32 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Bennington College received 2,825 applications and admitted 1,357 (48%), with 216 enrolling.
How Bennington College compares
| Bennington College | Vermont median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 44.5% | 70.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $66,262 | $48,795 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $38,289 | $59,852 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, Bennington College's median earnings are $38,289 — below the Vermont benchmark of $59,852. Weigh that against the $66,262 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
Bennington College lists tuition at $66,262 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Bennington College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $66,262 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 780 undergraduates, Bennington College is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
71.2% of Bennington College students finish a bachelor's within six years — 16.3 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $66,262 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Bennington College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | $39,958 |
| Music | $26,241 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $23,575 |
Median earnings for these 3 Bennington College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $38,289 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 74 additional Bennington College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Bennington College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1290–1413 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 44.5% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Bennington College's acceptance rate?
48% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 1,357 admitted from 2,825 applicants.
How much does Bennington College cost?
At Bennington College, published tuition is $66,262 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Bennington College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Bennington College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $38,289 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Vermont
- Landmark College — 49.4% admitted
- Champlain College — 82.9% admitted
- Middlebury College — 10.8% admitted
- Norwich University — 74.4% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.