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Vassar College
Admission here is competitive but not lottery-odds: 17.7% got in from a pool of 12,145 (Fall 2023 cycle).
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Vassar College occupies suburban Poughkeepsie, NY — a private campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. International students are a visible presence here — 6.1% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Computer and Information Sciences, General, where graduates median $124,469 four years out. 19.2% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 2,444 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 94.9% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1435 and 1550 — above the NY middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Vassar College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Vassar College received 12,145 applications and admitted 2,153 (17.7%), with 689 enrolling.
Vassar College is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1435–1550 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Vassar College's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 720 | 750 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 715 | 760 | 780 |
| ACT Composite | 33 | 34 | 35 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Vassar College compares
| Vassar College | New York median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 18.6% | 70.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $71,030 | $17,408 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $71,366 | $60,236 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Vassar College: $71,366 median at year ten, versus $60,236 across New York institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $71,030 regardless of where you're from. At Vassar College, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
At 2,444 undergrads, Vassar College is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
91.1% of Vassar College students finish a bachelor's within six years — 36.2 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $71,030 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Vassar College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $124,469 |
| Economics | $102,584 |
| Political Science and Government | $69,942 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $65,095 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $63,591 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $63,418 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $61,359 |
| Sociology | $61,106 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $60,461 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | $59,930 |
| History | $59,814 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $58,163 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $54,839 |
| Biology, General | $45,359 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $42,956 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $40,165 |
Median earnings for these 16 Vassar College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $71,366 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 25 additional Vassar College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Vassar College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1435–1550 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 18.6% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Vassar College's acceptance rate?
17.7% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,153 admitted from 12,145 applicants.
How much does Vassar College cost?
At Vassar College, published tuition is $71,030 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Vassar College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Vassar College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $71,366 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in New York
- United States Merchant Marine Academy — 34.2% admitted
- Skidmore College — 21.1% admitted
- Plaza College — 30% admitted
- Helene Fuld College of Nursing — 17% 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.