Wheaton College vs. Reed

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

Wheaton College Reed
Location Wheaton, IL Portland, OR
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,885 1,534
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #77
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu reed.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Reed
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $64,450
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $64,450
Room & Board $11,690 $15,950
Avg Net Price $29,961 $33,106
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $47,864
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 60%

Admission

Wheaton College Reed
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 9,023
Admitted 1,674 2,779
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 30.8%
Enrolled % 30.1% 14.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/33 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1430 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Wheaton College Reed
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Foreign Languages (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Reed
Graduation Rate 87% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $47,200
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $165

Diversity

Wheaton College Reed
% Men 43% 42%
% Women 57% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 60%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Wheaton College Reed
% In-State 23% 6%
% Out-of-State 70% 87%

Campus

Wheaton College 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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Reed based on total student enrollment (2,885 students vs. 1,534 students)

Wheaton College vs. Reed Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Reed?

  • Reed College is 53.5% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($64,450.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.5% higher at Reed than Wheaton College ($64,450.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Reed ($29,961 vs. $33,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 36.4% lower than costs at Reed College ($11,690 vs. $15,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Reed College (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Reed College students is 97.2% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($47,864 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. Reed Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Reed College (1383) is 69 points higher than at Wheaton College (1314)
  • Incoming Reed students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wheaton College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Wheaton College (3.75)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Reed (30.8%)

Wheaton College vs. Reed Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Reed College (87% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $7,100 more per year than Reed graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $47,200)
  • Reed College students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($16,000 vs. $22,500)
  • Reed graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($165 vs. $232)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Reed students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 84%)

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