Wesleyan University vs. Bennington

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

 Wesleyan University Bennington
Location Middletown, CT Bennington, VT
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,271 867
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #30
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wesleyan.edu bennington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wesleyan University Bennington
Tuition (In State) $66,716 $63,802
Tuition (Out of State) $66,716 $63,802
Room & Board $19,034 $18,640
Avg Net Price $20,463 $35,108
Avg Grant Aid $64,709 $47,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 38% 98%

Admission

 Wesleyan University Bennington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,500 2,825
Admitted 2,479 1,357
Acceptance Rate 17.1% 48%
Enrolled % 31.5% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.51
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 30/32
SAT Range 1450/1540 1290/1413
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Wesleyan University Bennington
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Ethnic Studies (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 Wesleyan University Bennington
Graduation Rate 92% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,000 $31,700
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $180 $268

Diversity

 Wesleyan University Bennington
% Men 2% 2%
% Women 4% 8%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 65%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 9% 13%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

 Wesleyan University Bennington
% In-State 10% 2%
% Out-of-State 75% 87%

Campus

 Wesleyan University Bennington
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wesleyan University is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (3,271 students vs. 867 students)

Wesleyan University vs. Bennington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wesleyan University or Bennington?

  • Wesleyan University is 4.6% more expensive to attend than Bennington for in-state tuition ($66,716.00 vs. $63,802.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at Wesleyan University than Bennington College ($66,716.00 vs. $63,802.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wesleyan University than Bennington ($20,463 vs. $35,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bennington College are 2.1% lower than costs at Wesleyan University ($18,640 vs. $19,034)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bennington College than Wesleyan University (98% vs. 38%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wesleyan University students is 35.2% larger than aid received Bennington College ($64,709 vs. $47,860)

Wesleyan University vs. Bennington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bennington has a higher acceptance rate (48%) than Wesleyan University (17.1%)

Wesleyan University vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wesleyan University or Bennington? 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 Bennington and Wesleyan University.

  • The graduation rate at Wesleyan University is higher than Bennington College (92% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Wesleyan University earn on average $26,300 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $31,700)
  • Wesleyan University students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Bennington graduates. ($17,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Wesleyan University graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than Bennington graduates. ($180 vs. $268)
  • More Wesleyan University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 77%)

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