Amherst vs. U of R

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

Amherst U of R
Location Amherst, MA Rochester, NY
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 1,910 12,160
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #56
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu rochester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst U of R
Tuition (In State) $66,650 $63,150
Tuition (Out of State) $66,650 $63,150
Room & Board $17,560 $18,924
Avg Net Price $17,965 $40,900
Avg Grant Aid $65,623 $41,700
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 74%

Admission

Amherst U of R
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,727 21,680
Admitted 1,250 7,773
Acceptance Rate 9.8% 35.9%
Enrolled % 39% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 31/35 31/34
SAT Range 1360/1550 1400/1540
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, 2026 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

Amherst U of R
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 (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)

Outcomes

Amherst U of R
Graduation Rate 96% 83%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $71,000
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $24,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $253

Diversity

Amherst U of R
% Men 0% 21%
% Women 0% 24%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 48%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 18%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

Amherst U of R
% In-State 9% 25%
% Out-of-State 77% 44%

Campus

Amherst U of R
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

  • University of Rochester is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (12,160 students vs. 1,910 students)

Amherst vs. U of R Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or U of R?

  • Amherst College is 5.5% more expensive to attend than U of R for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $63,150.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.5% higher at Amherst than University of Rochester ($66,650.00 vs. $63,150.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than U of R ($17,965 vs. $40,900)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 7.8% lower than costs at University of Rochester ($17,560 vs. $18,924)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rochester than Amherst College (74% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 57.4% larger than aid received University of Rochester ($65,623 vs. $41,700)

Amherst vs. U of R Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at U of R (3.75)
  • U of R has a higher acceptance rate (35.9%) than Amherst (9.8%)

Amherst vs. U of R Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or U of R? 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 U of R and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than University of Rochester (96% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $11,000 more per year than U of R graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $71,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $11,525 lower median federal student loan debt than U of R graduates. ($12,975 vs. $24,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than U of R graduates. ($134 vs. $253)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of R students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 79%)

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