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Oberlin College
Admission here is competitive but not lottery-odds: 33% got in from a pool of 11,039 (Fall 2023 cycle).
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Oberlin College anchors the college town of Oberlin, OH, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 9.5% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Computer and Information Sciences, General, where graduates median $129,395 four years out. 9.6% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 2,887 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 91% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1370 and 1510 — above the OH middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Oberlin College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Oberlin College received 11,039 applications and admitted 3,641 (33%), with 779 enrolling.
Oberlin College is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1370–1510 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Oberlin College's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 700 | 730 | 760 |
| SAT Math | 670 | 710 | 750 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 32 | 33 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Oberlin College compares
| Oberlin College | Ohio median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 34.2% | 76.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $67,366 | $29,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $58,343 | $52,356 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Oberlin College: $58,343 median at year ten, versus $52,356 across Ohio institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $67,366 regardless of where you're from. At Oberlin College, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
At 2,887 undergrads, Oberlin College is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
80.9% of Oberlin College students finish a bachelor's within six years — 26 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $67,366 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Oberlin College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $129,395 |
| Economics | $87,120 |
| Political Science and Government | $70,689 |
| History | $60,895 |
| Area Studies | $55,151 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $49,906 |
| Psychology, General | $48,109 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $46,580 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $44,299 |
| Biology, General | $44,095 |
| Music | $43,343 |
Median earnings for these 11 Oberlin College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $58,343 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 25 additional Oberlin College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Oberlin College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1370–1510 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 34.2% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Oberlin College's acceptance rate?
33% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 3,641 admitted from 11,039 applicants.
How much does Oberlin College cost?
At Oberlin College, published tuition is $67,366 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Oberlin College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Oberlin College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $58,343 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Ohio
- Kenyon College — 31% admitted
- Denison University — 17.4% admitted
- Art Academy of Cincinnati — 34.5% admitted
- Ohio Dominican University — 94.2% 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.