Amherst vs. Ursinus College

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

Amherst Ursinus College
Location Amherst, MA Collegeville, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 1,527
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #214
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu ursinus.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Ursinus College
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $58,016
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $58,016
Room & Board $16,750 $14,624
Avg Net Price $21,367 $33,546
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $40,075
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 100%

Admission

Amherst Ursinus College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 3,237
Admitted 1,079 2,661
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 82.2%
Enrolled % 43.3% 14.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 28/32
SAT Range 1420/1550 1180/1380
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Amherst Ursinus College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Biology (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst Ursinus College
Graduation Rate 96% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $279

Diversity

Amherst Ursinus College
% Men 48% 52%
% Women 52% 48%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 74%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Amherst Ursinus College
% In-State 13% 63%
% Out-of-State 74% 36%

Campus

Amherst Ursinus College
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

  • Amherst College is larger than than Ursinus College based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,527 students)

Amherst vs. Ursinus College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Ursinus College?

  • Amherst College is 9.5% more expensive to attend than Ursinus College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $58,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at Amherst than Ursinus College ($63,500.00 vs. $58,016.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Ursinus College ($21,367 vs. $33,546)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ursinus College are 14.5% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,624 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ursinus College than Amherst College (100% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 46.5% larger than aid received Ursinus College ($58,693 vs. $40,075)

Amherst vs. Ursinus College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Ursinus College (3.53)
  • Ursinus College has a higher acceptance rate (82.2%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Ursinus College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Ursinus 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 Ursinus College and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Ursinus College (96% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $24,000 more per year than Ursinus College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $58,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $14,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Ursinus College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than Ursinus College graduates. ($134 vs. $279)
  • More Ursinus College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 83%)

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