Amherst vs. F&M

Should I go to Amherst College or Franklin and Marshall College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or F&M is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Williams Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dickinson College Dartmouth Brown Gettysburg College Vassar Harvard Hamilton College Wellesley
Amherst College vs. Franklin and Marshall College comparison
Amherst College Franklin and Marshall College College 3 College 4
Amherst College Franklin and Marshall College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Amherst F&M
Location Amherst, MA Lancaster, PA
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 1,898 1,990
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #56
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu fandm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst F&M
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $65,652
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $65,652
Room & Board $16,750 $15,040
Avg Net Price $21,367 $31,135
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $49,177
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 63%

Admission

Amherst F&M
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 8,923
Admitted 1,079 3,233
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 36.2%
Enrolled % 43.3% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 32/35 30/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 1310/1440
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Amherst F&M
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst F&M
Graduation Rate 96% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $227

Diversity

Amherst F&M
% Men 48% 47%
% Women 52% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 59%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 10% 14%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

Amherst F&M
% In-State 13% 25%
% Out-of-State 74% 53%

Campus

Amherst F&M
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Franklin and Marshall College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (1,990 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. F&M Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or F&M?

  • Franklin and Marshall College is 3.4% more expensive to attend than Amherst for in-state tuition ($65,652.00 vs. $63,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.4% higher at F&M than Amherst College ($65,652.00 vs. $63,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than F&M ($21,367 vs. $31,135)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Franklin and Marshall College are 11.4% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,040 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Franklin and Marshall College than Amherst College (63% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 19.4% larger than aid received Franklin and Marshall College ($58,693 vs. $49,177)

Amherst vs. F&M Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or F&M? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between F&M or Amherst .

  • F&M has a higher acceptance rate (36.2%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. F&M Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or F&M? 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 F&M and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Franklin and Marshall College (96% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $20,100 more per year than F&M graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $61,900)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $9,025 lower median federal student loan debt than F&M graduates. ($12,975 vs. $22,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than F&M graduates. ($134 vs. $227)
  • More F&M graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 83%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/