Amherst vs. UMass

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

Amherst UMass
Location Amherst, MA Amherst, MA
Setting Town Fringe Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,898 32,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #176
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu umass.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst UMass
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $16,186
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $37,405
Room & Board $16,750 $14,123
Avg Net Price $21,367 $22,291
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $12,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 85%

Admission

Amherst UMass
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 45,451
Admitted 1,079 28,871
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 63.5%
Enrolled % 43.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/35 29/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 1260/1480
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Amherst UMass
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst UMass
Graduation Rate 96% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $55,200
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $248

Diversity

Amherst UMass
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 67%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

Amherst UMass
% In-State 13% 65%
% Out-of-State 74% 24%

Campus

Amherst UMass
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

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (32,229 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or UMass?

  • Amherst College is 292.3% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.8% higher at Amherst than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($63,500.00 vs. $37,405.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than UMass ($21,367 vs. $22,291)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 18.6% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,123 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Amherst College (85% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 375.2% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($58,693 vs. $12,350)

Amherst vs. UMass Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 225 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UMass (28)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Amherst (3.91)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (96% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $26,800 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $55,200)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $11,025 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($12,975 vs. $24,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than UMass graduates. ($134 vs. $248)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 76%)

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