Oberlin vs. Olin College

Should I go to Oberlin College or Olin College of Engineering? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oberlin or Olin 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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Oberlin College vs. Olin College of Engineering comparison
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Oberlin College Olin College of Engineering
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Overview

Oberlin Olin College
Location Oberlin, OH Needham, MA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,992 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #148
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oberlin.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oberlin Olin College
Tuition (In State) $61,106 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $61,106 $57,280
Room & Board $18,390 $18,524
Avg Net Price $46,462 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $35,040 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Oberlin Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,066 862
Admitted 3,859 165
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 19.1%
Enrolled % 22.9% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 30/33 35/35
SAT Range 1360/1530 1490/1560
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 15, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Oberlin Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Oberlin Olin College
Graduation Rate 88% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 82% -
Median Student Loan Debt $26,579 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $274 $152

Diversity

Oberlin Olin College
% Men 41% 50%
% Women 59% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 53%
% Black 5% 0%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 11%

Students

Oberlin Olin College
% In-State 6% 12%
% Out-of-State 84% 79%

Campus

Oberlin Olin College
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

  • Oberlin College is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,992 students vs. 386 students)

Oberlin vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oberlin or Olin College?

  • Oberlin College is 6.7% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($61,106.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.7% higher at Oberlin than Olin College of Engineering ($61,106.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Olin College of Engineering than Oberlin ($38,502 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oberlin College are 0.7% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($18,390 vs. $18,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Oberlin College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olin College of Engineering students is 15.6% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($40,522 vs. $35,040)

Oberlin vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 149 points higher than at Oberlin (1357)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Oberlin (31)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • Oberlin has a higher acceptance rate (34.9%) than Olin College (19.1%)

Oberlin vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oberlin or Olin 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 Olin College and Oberlin.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Oberlin College (96% vs. 88%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $11,869 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($14,710 vs. $26,579)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $122 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($152 vs. $274)

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