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Private 4-Year Highly Selective Providence, RI NCAA Division I-FCS

Brown University

Providence, RI

5.4%
Acceptance Rate
$91,676/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$25,184/yr
Avg Price After Aid
95.7%
6-yr Grad Rate
7,226
Undergrads

About Brown University

Brown University is a private nonprofit institution with an acceptance rate of 5.4% and an undergraduate enrollment of 7,226 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1, with a 6-year graduation rate of 95.7%. The cost of attendance is $91,676, and the median earnings 10 years after enrollment are $93,487.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
7,226
Avg Faculty Salary
$160,855
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FCS
Endowment
$6.7B
Pell Students
13.8%
First-Gen
17%
What Brown University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods 55 graduates · 2.8% of degrees here vs 0.01% nationally 391×
Applied Mathematics 159 graduates · 8.2% of degrees here vs 0.13% nationally 62×
International Relations and Affairs 111 graduates · 5.7% of degrees here vs 0.32% nationally 18×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 174 graduates · 9% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally 12×
Computer Science 243 graduates · 12.5% of degrees here vs 2.26% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
5.4%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
14.4%
ED Rate
51,316
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$25,184 avg net
Average net price after aid
$-420
Under $30K income
$6.7B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$79,131 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
95.7%
6-yr Grad Rate
$11,428
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Brown University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
5.4%
51,316 applicants
Early Decision Rate
14.4%
ED applications: 6,251

Brown University has an extremely selective 5.4% acceptance rate and enrolls 7,226 undergraduates with a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The institution reports a 95.7% six-year graduation rate and costs $91,676 annually.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 19 applicants is admitted · 51,316 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1510–1580
40080012001600

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Very Important
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Very Important
Application essay Very Important
Recommendations Very Important
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
89%
Top quarter
98%
Top half
100%
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 19,666 1,350 6.9% 847
Women 31,650 1,336 4.2% 848
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Brown University admits 5.4% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
5.4%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (79)
72.2%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Brown University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$25,184
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$11,428
Federal Loan Rate
9.6%
Students borrowing federal loans

Brown University's cost of attendance is $91,676 annually, while the average net price after aid is $25,184. The university enrolls 13.8% Pell grant recipients.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$91,676
Tuition & Fees
$71,412
78%
Room & Board
$17,444
19%
Other Expenses
$2,820
3%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$0aid exceeds cost
$30,001 – $48,000
$2,031
$48,001 – $75,000
$5,858
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,219
Over $110,000
$44,937
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
72%
Federal loans
10%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $121.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Brown University costs $25,184 a year — about 12% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$87,648
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (97)
$42,446
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
72.2%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
RI (19)
92.6%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (115)
91.9%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$11,428
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
RI (21)
$16,668
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (133)
$21,082
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$25,184
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
RI (20)
$25,425
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (138)
$25,178
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Brown University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
95.7%
Median Earnings 6yr
$79,131
6 years after entering

Brown University has a 95.7% six-year graduation rate and median earnings of $79,131 six years after enrollment and $93,487 ten years after enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$92,362
Men
$70,646
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
92%
Pell recipients
94.4%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Computer Science243
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics174
Applied Mathematics, General159
International Relations and Affairs111
Biology/Biological Sciences, General102
Neuroscience76
Engineering, General68
English Language and Literature, General64
Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods55
Human Biology46
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
98.3%
White
96.2%
Black
92.9%
Hispanic
91.1%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Brown University are $84,208, and 79% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Brown University students earn $79,131 — 74% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$93,487
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
RI (18)
$54,702
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (117)
$53,085
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$79,131
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
RI (19)
$46,882
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (119)
$46,673
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
95.7%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (74)
67.1%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
98.7%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (72)
83.1%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Brown University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Brown University is a private nonprofit institution with an undergraduate enrollment of 7,226 students and a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The university competes as an NCAA Division I-FCS athletic program.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
32.9%
Asian
22.9%
Hispanic
12.1%
Black
8.2%
Other Indicators
First-generation
17%
Pell grant recipients
13.8%
Women
50%
Brown University Athletics
Total Revenue
$21.7M
Total Expense
$21.7M
Athletes
1,116
530 men · 586 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$182,666
Women's sports
$126,348

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Academic Resources
1,009
Full-time faculty
$160,855
Avg faculty salary
13,676
FT staff
$6.7B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$171,994
Women (avg)
$145,487
Overall avg
$160,855
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
7,226
Graduate students
4,046
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
13.2%

951 of 7,211 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
2.6%
Undergrads taking any
6.8%
Grad students fully online
8%

204 of 7,741 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 303 of 3,775 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Brown University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education and operates its own medical school.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Brown University spends $22,119 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
13.8%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
RI (20)
33.8%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (145)
30.6%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$22,119
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (101)
$8,334
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
6:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
RI (20)
12.5:1
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (149)
12:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Brown University
69 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
1,944 graduates
Social Sciences 454 grads · 9 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 174
International Relations and Affairs 111
Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods 55
Political Science and Government, General 44
Sociology, General 29
Anthropology, General 15
Urban Studies/Affairs 15
Social Sciences, Other 8
Archeology 3
Computer and Information Sciences 282 grads · 2 majors
Computer Science 243
Computer and Information Sciences, General 39
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 226 grads · 5 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 102
Neuroscience 76
Biochemistry 36
Computational Biology 10
Biophysics 2
Mathematics and Statistics 210 grads · 4 majors
Applied Mathematics, General 159
Computational Mathematics 30
Mathematics, General 17
Statistics, General 4
Multidisciplinary Studies 112 grads · 7 majors
Human Biology 46
Behavioral Sciences 30
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 11
Science, Technology and Society 11
Cognitive Science, General 6
Contemplative Studies/Inquiry 6
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 2
Engineering 104 grads · 3 majors
Engineering, General 68
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 34
Industrial Engineering 2
English Language and Literature 87 grads · 2 majors
English Language and Literature, General 64
Creative Writing 23
Psychology 66 grads · 2 majors
Experimental Psychology 35
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics 31
Physical Sciences 66 grads · 6 majors
Physics, General 32
Chemistry, General 18
Geology/Earth Science, General 9
Geophysics and Seismology 4
Geochemistry 2
Astronomy 1
Visual and Performing Arts 63 grads · 4 majors
Art/Art Studies, General 32
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 13
Music, General 12
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 6
Natural Resources and Conservation 55 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Studies 28
Environmental Science 27
Communication and Journalism 41 grads · 1 major
Mass Communication/Media Studies 41
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 39 grads · 5 majors
Comparative Literature 14
Classics and Classical Languages,... 11
Spanish Language and Literature 7
Linguistics 6
Portuguese Language and Literature 1
History 38 grads · 1 major
History, General 38
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 36 grads · 10 majors
East Asian Studies 9
Ethnic Studies 5
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 5
African Studies 4
French Studies 4
German Studies 4
American/United States Studies/Civilization 2
American Indian/Native American Studies 1
Latin American and Caribbean Studies 1
Slavic Studies 1
Philosophy and Religious Studies 29 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 21
Religion/Religious Studies 8
Architecture 16 grads · 1 major
Architecture 16
Education 14 grads · 1 major
Education, General 14
Business and Marketing 5 grads · 1 major
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 5
Public Administration and Social Services 1 grads · 1 major
Public Policy Analysis, General 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Brown University Location & Campus Safety

Brown University is in Providence, RI, in what IPEDS classifies as a midsize city setting. The campus sits about 0.8 miles from the center of Providence. There are 17 other colleges within 25 miles, and Providence, RI is 0.8 miles away.

Brown University
Midsize city
Campus Setting
0.8 mi
To City Center
17
Colleges Within 25 mi
190,214
Providence Population
Living in Providence
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,333
Median Rent / mo
$66,772
Median Household Income
28.5%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
62.6%
Walk
7.3%
Public transit
4.2%

Providence County scores 13.2 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 11.5% of Providence's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at Brown University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Brown University reported for 2024.

45
On-Campus Offenses
19
In Residence Halls
3.8
Per 1,000 Students
16
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
59
2023
63
2024
45
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
22
Sexual offenses
12
Burglary
7
Arson
3
Aggravated assault
1

Separately, Brown University reported 123 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Brown University admissions, costs, and outcomes.