Oberlin vs. Reed

Should I go to Oberlin College or Reed College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oberlin or Reed 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. Reed College comparison
Oberlin College Reed College College 3 College 4
Oberlin College Reed College
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Overview

Oberlin Reed
Location Oberlin, OH Portland, OR
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,992 1,534
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #148 #77
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oberlin.edu reed.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oberlin Reed
Tuition (In State) $61,106 $64,450
Tuition (Out of State) $61,106 $64,450
Room & Board $18,390 $15,950
Avg Net Price $46,462 $33,106
Avg Grant Aid $35,040 $47,864
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 60%

Admission

Oberlin Reed
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,066 9,023
Admitted 3,859 2,779
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 30.8%
Enrolled % 22.9% 14.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 30/33 30/33
SAT Range 1360/1530 1320/1500
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

Academics

Oberlin Reed
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Foreign Languages (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

Oberlin Reed
Graduation Rate 88% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $47,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,579 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $274 $165

Diversity

Oberlin Reed
% Men 41% 42%
% Women 59% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 60%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 8%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Oberlin Reed
% In-State 6% 6%
% Out-of-State 84% 87%

Campus

Oberlin Reed
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

  • Oberlin College is larger than than Reed based on total student enrollment (2,992 students vs. 1,534 students)

Oberlin vs. Reed Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oberlin or Reed?

  • Reed College is 5.5% more expensive to attend than Oberlin for in-state tuition ($64,450.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.5% higher at Reed than Oberlin College ($64,450.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Reed College than Oberlin ($33,106 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Reed College are 15.3% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($15,950 vs. $18,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Reed College (98% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Reed College students is 36.6% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($47,864 vs. $35,040)

Oberlin vs. Reed Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Reed College (1383) is 26 points higher than at Oberlin (1357)
  • Incoming Oberlin students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at Reed (31)
  • Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • Oberlin has a higher acceptance rate (34.9%) than Reed (30.8%)

Oberlin vs. Reed Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oberlin or Reed? 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 Reed and Oberlin.

  • The graduation rate at Oberlin is higher than Reed College (88% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Reed College earn on average $3,300 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($47,200 vs. $43,900)
  • Reed College students graduate with a $10,579 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($16,000 vs. $26,579)
  • Reed graduates are paying $109 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($165 vs. $274)
  • More Reed graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 82%)

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