Vassar vs. Reed

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

 Vassar Reed
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Portland, OR
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,456 1,458
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #46 #80
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vassar.edu reed.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Vassar Reed
Tuition (In State) $66,870 $66,710
Tuition (Out of State) $66,870 $66,710
Room & Board $17,415 $16,820
Avg Net Price $29,733 $36,993
Avg Grant Aid $53,840 $46,317
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 55%

Admission

 Vassar Reed
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,145 10,045
Admitted 2,153 2,728
Acceptance Rate 17.7% 27.2%
Enrolled % 32% 12.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 29/34
SAT Range 1435/1550 1300/1510
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

Academics

 Vassar Reed
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%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Foreign Languages (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

 Vassar Reed
Graduation Rate 91% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $47,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,780 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $163 $165

Diversity

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

Students

 Vassar Reed
% In-State 28% 10%
% Out-of-State 64% 83%

Campus

 Vassar Reed
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

  • Vassar College is larger than than Reed based on total student enrollment (2,456 students vs. 1,458 students)

Vassar vs. Reed Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or Reed?

  • Vassar College is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Reed for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $66,710.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Vassar than Reed College ($66,870.00 vs. $66,710.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vassar College than Reed ($29,733 vs. $36,993)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Reed College are 3.5% lower than costs at Vassar College ($16,820 vs. $17,415)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Reed College (58% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 16.2% larger than aid received Reed College ($53,840 vs. $46,317)

Vassar vs. Reed Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vassar College (1405) is 22 points higher than at Reed (1383)
  • Incoming Vassar students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Reed (31)
  • Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Reed has a higher acceptance rate (27.2%) than Vassar (17.7%)

Vassar vs. Reed Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vassar 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 Vassar.

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Reed College (91% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Vassar College earn on average $11,200 more per year than Reed graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $47,200)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $220 lower median federal student loan debt than Reed graduates. ($15,780 vs. $16,000)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Reed graduates. ($163 vs. $165)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Reed students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

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