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Williams Tufts NYU Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Villanova Brown Vassar Baruch Syracuse Lafayette College| Amherst College | Fordham University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Bronx, NY | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,910 | 16,153 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #15 | #126 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | fordham.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,650 | $60,335 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,650 | $60,335 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,560 | $23,075 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,965 | $45,368 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $65,623 | $33,278 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 94% |
Admission |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 12,727 | 43,663 | ||
| Admitted | 1,250 | 24,573 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 9.8% | 56.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 39% | 9.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.67 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 31/35 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1360/1550 | 1330/1490 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 78% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $64,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 77% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $268 |
Diversity |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 23% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 10% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 2% |
Students |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 37% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 77% | 55% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | Fordham | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Fordham University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (16,153 students vs. 1,910 students)
Amherst vs. Fordham Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Fordham?
- Amherst College is 10.5% more expensive to attend than Fordham for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $60,335.00)
- Out of state tuition is 10.5% higher at Amherst than Fordham University ($66,650.00 vs. $60,335.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Fordham ($17,965 vs. $45,368)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 31.4% lower than costs at Fordham University ($17,560 vs. $23,075)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Fordham University than Amherst College (94% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 97.2% larger than aid received Fordham University ($65,623 vs. $33,278)
Amherst vs. Fordham Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Fordham? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Fordham or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 178 points higher than at Fordham (1273)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Fordham (29)
- Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Fordham (3.67)
- Fordham has a higher acceptance rate (56.3%) than Amherst (9.8%)
Amherst vs. Fordham Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst or Fordham? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Fordham and Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Fordham University (96% vs. 78%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $17,800 more per year than Fordham graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $64,200)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $13,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Fordham graduates. ($12,975 vs. $26,000)
- Amherst graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than Fordham graduates. ($134 vs. $268)
- More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fordham students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 77%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/