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Private 4-Year Highly Selective Williamstown, MA NCAA Division III with football

Williams College

Williamstown, MA

8.4%
Acceptance Rate
$89,520/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$17,716/yr
Avg Price After Aid
95.1%
6-yr Grad Rate
2,076
Undergrads

About Williams College

Williams College is a private nonprofit university with an acceptance rate of 8.4% and undergraduate enrollment of 2,076. The institution maintains a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and reports a 6-year graduation rate of 95.1%. Annual cost of attendance is $89,520, with a median earnings of $88,665 ten years after enrollment.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
2,076
Avg Faculty Salary
$138,043
Athletics
NCAA Division III with football
Endowment
$3.5B
Pell Students
17.6%
First-Gen
21.5%
What Williams College Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Experimental Psychology 23 graduates · 4.7% of degrees here vs 0.18% nationally 26×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 76 graduates · 15.4% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally 20×
Art/Art Studies 28 graduates · 5.7% of degrees here vs 0.5% nationally 11×
English Language and Literature 37 graduates · 7.5% of degrees here vs 1.23% nationally
Computer Science 56 graduates · 11.4% of degrees here vs 2.26% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
8.4%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
11,465
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$17,716 avg net
Average net price after aid
$-2,610
Under $30K income
$3.5B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$71,754 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
95.1%
6-yr Grad Rate
$12,761
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Williams College Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
8.4%
11,465 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
6:1
Undergrad instruction

Williams College is an exceptionally selective private nonprofit institution with an 8.4% acceptance rate and 2,076 undergraduates. The college maintains a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and reports a 95.1% six-year graduation rate.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 12 applicants is admitted · 11,465 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
1490–1570
40080012001600
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
88.4%
Top quarter
98.2%
Top half
99.1%
Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
2,303
Offered spot
858
Accepted offer
113
Admitted from WL
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 5,195 519 10% 253
Women 5,828 587 10.1% 277
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Williams College admits 8.2% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
8.2%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
MA (73)
71.2%
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.

Williams College Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$17,716
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$12,761
Federal Loan Rate
4.8%
Students borrowing federal loans

Williams College has a cost of attendance of $89,520 annually. With a substantial endowment of $3.5 billion and 17.6% Pell grant recipients, the college demonstrates commitment to affordability for lower-income students.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$89,520
Tuition & Fees
$68,560
77%
Room & Board
$17,260
19%
Books & Supplies
$1,000
1%
Other Expenses
$2,700
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
$0aid exceeds cost
$48,001 – $75,000
$0aid exceeds cost
$75,001 – $110,000
$3,030
Over $110,000
$49,594

* One or more income brackets show an unusually low net price, reflecting need-based aid that can reduce cost to near zero for families in that range.

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
60%
Federal loans
5%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $135.

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

After aid, Williams College costs $17,716 a year — about 22% less than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$84,860
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
MA (88)
$56,169
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
59.6%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
MA (101)
91.7%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$12,761
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
MA (110)
$22,610
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$17,716
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
MA (119)
$24,402
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.

Williams College Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
95.1%
Median Earnings 6yr
$71,754
6 years after entering

Williams College has a 95.1% six-year graduation rate. Graduates earn a median of $71,754 six years after enrollment and $88,665 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
$85,047
Men
$64,096
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
93.3%
Pell recipients
94.3%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics76
Computer Science56
Biology/Biological Sciences, General50
English Language and Literature, General37
Mathematics, General29
Art/Art Studies, General28
History, General26
Experimental Psychology23
Chemistry, General21
Environmental Studies16
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
97.1%
White
94.6%
Hispanic
93.9%
Black
91.4%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Williams College are $79,082, and 68% 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 Williams College students earn $71,754 — 58% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$88,665
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
MA (102)
$53,499
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$71,754
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
MA (102)
$46,710
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
95.1%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
MA (69)
66.8%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
96.7%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
MA (65)
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.

Williams College Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Williams College is a private nonprofit institution with 2,076 undergraduates and a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The college competes in NCAA Division III with football and generated $6 million in athletic revenue.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
46.6%
Asian
12.5%
Hispanic
14.1%
Black
6.1%
Other Indicators
First-generation
21.5%
Pell grant recipients
17.6%
Women
52.5%
Williams College Athletics
Total Revenue
$6M
Total Expense
$6M
Athletes
826
466 men · 360 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$65,964
Women's sports
$64,307

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Academic Resources
320
Full-time faculty
$138,043
Avg faculty salary
3,225
FT staff
$3.5B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$139,713
Women (avg)
$136,151
Overall avg
$138,043
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
2,076
Graduate students
49
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
33%

680 of 2,060 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
0%
Undergrads taking any
0%
Grad students fully online
0%

0 of 2,112 undergraduates study entirely at a distance.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Williams College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.

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

Williams College spends $28,581 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
17.6%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
MA (126)
31.6%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$28,581
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
MA (92)
$8,492
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
6:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
MA (130)
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 Williams College
34 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
493 graduates
Social Sciences 109 grads · 5 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 76
Political Science and Government, General 12
Social Sciences, Other 12
Anthropology, General 5
Sociology, General 4
Computer and Information Sciences 56 grads · 1 major
Computer Science 56
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 50 grads · 1 major
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 50
Physical Sciences 40 grads · 4 majors
Chemistry, General 21
Geology/Earth Science, General 7
Physics, General 7
Astrophysics 5
Mathematics and Statistics 39 grads · 2 majors
Mathematics, General 29
Statistics, General 10
English Language and Literature 37 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 37
Visual and Performing Arts 32 grads · 3 majors
Art/Art Studies, General 28
Music, General 3
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 29 grads · 7 majors
Chinese Language and Literature 11
Classics and Classical Languages,... 6
Comparative Literature 6
German Language and Literature 2
Spanish Language and Literature 2
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and... 1
Japanese Language and Literature 1
History 26 grads · 1 major
History, General 26
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 25 grads · 4 majors
American/United States Studies/Civilization 13
African-American/Black Studies 4
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 4
Women's Studies 4
Psychology 23 grads · 1 major
Experimental Psychology 23
Natural Resources and Conservation 16 grads · 1 major
Environmental Studies 16
Philosophy and Religious Studies 10 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 6
Religion/Religious Studies 4
Multidisciplinary Studies 1 grads · 1 major
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Williams College Location & Campus Safety

Williams College is in Williamstown, MA, in what IPEDS classifies as a town, near a city setting. The campus sits about 0.3 miles from the center of Williamstown. There are 5 other colleges within 25 miles, and Albany, NY is 30.4 miles away.

Williams College
Town, near a city
Campus Setting
0.3 mi
To City Center
5
Colleges Within 25 mi
4,352
Williamstown Population
Living in Williamstown
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,244
Median Rent / mo
$82,917
Median Household Income
31.4%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
28%
Walk
49.2%
Public transit
0.8%

Berkshire County scores 9.2 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — below 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 49.9% of Williamstown's residents.

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

Campus Safety at Williams College

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

12
On-Campus Offenses
8
In Residence Halls
5.5
Per 1,000 Students
8
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
12
2023
16
2024
12
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
10
Burglary
1
Arson
1

Separately, Williams College reported 1 arrests and 5 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 Williams College admissions, costs, and outcomes.