Amherst vs. Olin College

Should I go to Amherst College or Olin College of Engineering? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Olin College 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.

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Amherst College vs. Olin College of Engineering comparison
Amherst College Olin College of Engineering College 3 College 4
Amherst College Olin College of Engineering
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Overview

Amherst Olin College
Location Amherst, MA Needham, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Olin College
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $57,280
Room & Board $16,750 $18,524
Avg Net Price $21,367 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 100%

Admission

Amherst Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 862
Admitted 1,079 165
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 19.1%
Enrolled % 43.3% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/35 35/35
SAT Range 1420/1550 1490/1560
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 1, 2025

Academics

Amherst Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Amherst Olin College
Graduation Rate 96% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 83% -
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $134 $152

Diversity

Amherst Olin College
% Men 48% 50%
% Women 52% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 53%
% Black 12% 0%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 11%

Students

Amherst Olin College
% In-State 13% 12%
% Out-of-State 74% 79%

Campus

Amherst Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Amherst College is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 386 students)

Amherst vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Olin College?

  • Amherst College is 10.9% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.9% higher at Amherst than Olin College of Engineering ($63,500.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Olin College ($21,367 vs. $38,502)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 10.6% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($16,750 vs. $18,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Amherst College (100% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 44.8% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($58,693 vs. $40,522)

Amherst vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 55 points higher than at Amherst (1451)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Amherst (33)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Olin College (3.9)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Olin College? 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 Olin College and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is the same as at Olin College of Engineering (96% vs. 96%)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $1,735 lower median federal student loan debt than Olin College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $14,710)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Olin College graduates. ($134 vs. $152)

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