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Vanderbilt University
With a 5.9% admission rate, no GPA makes Vanderbilt University a safety. The numbers below tell you what the admitted few look like.
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Vanderbilt University sits in Nashville proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 11.2% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $160,021 four years out. 20.2% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 7,208 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 96.3% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1510 and 1560 — above the TN middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Vanderbilt University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Vanderbilt University received 45,313 applications and admitted 2,844 (6.3%), with 1,622 enrolling.
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1510–1560 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, Vanderbilt University's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 740 | 760 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 770 | 780 | 790 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 35 | 35 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Vanderbilt University compares
| Vanderbilt University | Tennessee median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 5.9% | 69.4% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $67,498 | $21,400 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $91,565 | $48,382 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Vanderbilt University: $91,565 median at year ten, versus $48,382 across Tennessee institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $67,498 regardless of where you're from. At Vanderbilt University, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
At 7,208 undergrads, Vanderbilt University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
93.5% of Vanderbilt University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 38.7 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $67,498 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Vanderbilt University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $160,021 |
| Mathematics | $141,171 |
| Economics | $140,337 |
| Chemical Engineering | $121,641 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $116,662 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $114,368 |
| Social Sciences, General | $103,229 |
| Political Science and Government | $102,789 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $101,345 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $91,265 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $86,559 |
| Sociology | $83,649 |
| Civil Engineering | $82,744 |
| Psychology, General | $71,584 |
| History | $69,820 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $60,439 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $59,575 |
| Music | $59,217 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $55,188 |
Median earnings for these 19 Vanderbilt University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $91,565 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 34 additional Vanderbilt University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Vanderbilt University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1510–1560 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 5.9% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Vanderbilt University's acceptance rate?
6.3% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,844 admitted from 45,313 applicants.
How much does Vanderbilt University cost?
At Vanderbilt University, published tuition is $67,498 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Vanderbilt University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Vanderbilt University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $91,565 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Tennessee
- Union University — 60.4% admitted
- Tusculum University — 72.2% admitted
- Trevecca Nazarene University — 69.4% admitted
- Tennessee Technological University — 76.1% 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.