Vassar vs. Olin College

Should I go to Vassar College or Olin College of Engineering? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Vassar 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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Vassar College vs. Olin College of Engineering comparison
Vassar College Olin College of Engineering College 3 College 4
Vassar College Olin College of Engineering
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Overview

Vassar Olin College
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Needham, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,456 402
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #46
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vassar.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Vassar Olin College
Tuition (In State) $66,870 $59,972
Tuition (Out of State) $66,870 $59,972
Room & Board $17,415 $19,820
Avg Net Price $29,733 $40,370
Avg Grant Aid $53,840 $41,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 100%

Admission

Vassar Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,145 928
Admitted 2,153 201
Acceptance Rate 17.7% 21.7%
Enrolled % 32% 48.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1435/1550 1480/1560
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 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Vassar Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Vassar Olin College
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 92% -
Median Student Loan Debt $15,780 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $163 $152

Diversity

Vassar Olin College
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 1% 3%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 53%
% Black 5% 0%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 11%

Students

Vassar Olin College
% In-State 28% 12%
% Out-of-State 64% 79%

Campus

Vassar Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Vassar College is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,456 students vs. 402 students)

Vassar vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or Olin College?

  • Vassar College is 11.5% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $59,972.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at Vassar than Olin College of Engineering ($66,870.00 vs. $59,972.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vassar College than Olin College ($29,733 vs. $40,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 13.8% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($17,415 vs. $19,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Vassar College (100% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 30.9% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($53,840 vs. $41,116)

Vassar vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 101 points higher than at Vassar (1405)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Vassar (32)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (21.7%) than Vassar (17.7%)

Vassar vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vassar 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 Vassar.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Vassar College (96% vs. 91%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $1,070 lower median federal student loan debt than Vassar graduates. ($14,710 vs. $15,780)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Vassar graduates. ($152 vs. $163)

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