Amherst vs. Oberlin

Should I go to Amherst College or Oberlin College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Oberlin 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. Oberlin College comparison
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Amherst College Oberlin College
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Overview

Amherst Oberlin
Location Amherst, MA Oberlin, OH
Setting Town Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 2,992
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #148
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $61,106
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $61,106
Room & Board $16,750 $18,390
Avg Net Price $21,367 $46,462
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $35,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 98%

Admission

Amherst Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 11,066
Admitted 1,079 3,859
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 34.9%
Enrolled % 43.3% 22.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 32/35 30/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 1360/1530
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 Oberlin
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Amherst Oberlin
Graduation Rate 96% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $134 $274

Diversity

Amherst Oberlin
% Men 48% 41%
% Women 52% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 68%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Amherst Oberlin
% In-State 13% 6%
% Out-of-State 74% 84%

Campus

Amherst Oberlin
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

  • Oberlin College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,992 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Oberlin?

  • Amherst College is 3.9% more expensive to attend than Oberlin for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.9% higher at Amherst than Oberlin College ($63,500.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Oberlin ($21,367 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 9.8% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($16,750 vs. $18,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Amherst College (98% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 67.5% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($58,693 vs. $35,040)

Amherst vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 94 points higher than at Oberlin (1357)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Oberlin (31)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • Oberlin has a higher acceptance rate (34.9%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Oberlin? 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 Oberlin and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Oberlin College (96% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $38,100 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $43,900)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $13,604 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($12,975 vs. $26,579)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($134 vs. $274)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 82%)

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