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Williams Maryland TU Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Brown Vassar Mason UD Harvard| University of Maryland Baltimore County | Amherst College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | Amherst, MA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Town Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 14,148 | 1,910 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #263 | #15 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | umbc.edu | amherst.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,238 | $66,650 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,594 | $66,650 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,204 | $17,560 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,704 | $17,965 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,956 | $65,623 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 58% |
Admission |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,150 | 12,727 | ||
| Admitted | 9,762 | 1,250 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.2% | 9.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 39% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 23/30 | 31/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
| Graduation Rate | 57% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $82,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 67% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,197 | $12,975 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $134 |
Diversity |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 17% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 4% |
Students |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 9% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 6% | 77% | ||
Campus |
UMBC | Amherst | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 1,910 students)
UMBC vs. Amherst Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Amherst?
- Amherst College is 621.5% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $9,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 150.6% higher at Amherst than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($66,650.00 vs. $26,594.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Amherst ($17,704 vs. $17,965)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 23.6% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,204 vs. $17,560)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Amherst College (87% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 559.1% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($65,623 vs. $9,956)
UMBC vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UMBC or Amherst? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Amherst or UMBC .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 242 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UMBC (27)
- Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Amherst (3.91)
- UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Amherst (9.8%)
UMBC vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (96% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $22,500 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $59,500)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $8,222 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($12,975 vs. $21,197)
- Amherst graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($134 vs. $219)
- More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/