Amherst College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Amherst College is a private institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Amherst College admits fewer than 10% of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 10%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1494 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,246 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Amherst College is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for Amherst College?

Successful applicants to Amherst College typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

What does Amherst College weight in admissions?

Amherst College reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

SAT and ACT scores Amherst College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 670–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 720. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 31–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Amherst College actually cost?

Published tuition is $67,280 for in-state students and $67,280 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,560 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $18,246 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Amherst College

Will my child graduate from Amherst College?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Other colleges in Massachusetts parents ask about

• Harvard University
  3% acceptance
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  5% acceptance
• Boston University
  11% acceptance
• Boston College
  16% acceptance
• Tufts University
  10% acceptance
• University of Massachusetts-Amherst
  85% acceptance
• University of Massachusetts-Boston
  58% acceptance
• Northeastern University
  6% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Amherst College