Bates vs. Amherst

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Williams Bowdoin College Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Brown Vassar Harvard Hamilton College Wellesley Cornell
Bates College vs. Amherst College comparison
Bates College Amherst College College 3 College 4
Bates College Amherst College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Bates Amherst
Location Lewiston, ME Amherst, MA
Setting Small City Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,753 1,910
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bates.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bates Amherst
Tuition (In State) $63,478 $66,650
Tuition (Out of State) $63,478 $66,650
Room & Board $17,904 $17,560
Avg Net Price $26,658 $17,965
Avg Grant Aid $53,782 $65,623
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 58%

Admission

Bates Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,937 12,727
Admitted 1,164 1,250
Acceptance Rate 13% 9.8%
Enrolled % 43.4% 39%
Avg High School GPA - 3.91
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/33 31/35
SAT Range 1400/1510 1360/1550
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 1, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

Bates Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Bates Amherst
Graduation Rate 92% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,700 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,450 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $149 $134

Diversity

Bates Amherst
% Men 35% 0%
% Women 36% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 42%
% Black 5% 12%
% Hispanic 8% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Bates Amherst
% In-State 8% 9%
% Out-of-State 80% 77%

Campus

Bates Amherst
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Bates based on total student enrollment (1,910 students vs. 1,753 students)

Bates vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bates or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 5% more expensive to attend than Bates for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $63,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at Amherst than Bates College ($66,650.00 vs. $63,478.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Bates ($17,965 vs. $26,658)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 2% lower than costs at Bates College ($17,560 vs. $17,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Bates College (58% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 22% larger than aid received Bates College ($65,623 vs. $53,782)

Bates vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bates has a higher acceptance rate (13%) than Amherst (9.8%)

Bates vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Bates College (96% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $6,300 more per year than Bates graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $75,700)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $1,475 lower median federal student loan debt than Bates graduates. ($12,975 vs. $14,450)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Bates graduates. ($134 vs. $149)
  • More Bates graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 83%)

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