Amherst vs. Rutgers

Should I go to Amherst College or Rutgers University New Brunswick? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Rutgers 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. Rutgers University New Brunswick comparison
Amherst College Rutgers University New Brunswick College 3 College 4
Amherst College Rutgers University New Brunswick
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Overview

Amherst Rutgers
Location Amherst, MA New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 1,898 50,637
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $30,600
Room & Board $16,750 $13,909
Avg Net Price $21,367 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 57%

Admission

Amherst Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 41,654
Admitted 1,079 27,612
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 66.3%
Enrolled % 43.3% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/35 28/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 1270/1480
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

Academics

Amherst Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Amherst Rutgers
Graduation Rate 96% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $134 $229

Diversity

Amherst Rutgers
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 42%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Rutgers
% In-State 13% 85%
% Out-of-State 74% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Rutgers?

  • Amherst College is 392.2% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $12,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 107.5% higher at Amherst than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($63,500.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Amherst ($17,535 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 20.4% lower than costs at Amherst College ($13,909 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Rutgers University New Brunswick (58% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 359.1% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($58,693 vs. $12,785)

Amherst vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 226 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $15,800 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $66,200)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $9,240 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($12,975 vs. $22,215)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($134 vs. $229)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 68%)

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