Mount Holyoke: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Mount Holyoke is a private institution located in South Hadley, Massachusetts with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Mount Holyoke admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 36%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1470 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $26,441 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Mount Holyoke?

66% of enrolled students at Mount Holyoke had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.89, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.

What does Mount Holyoke weight in admissions?

Mount Holyoke reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores Mount Holyoke typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 670–770, with an EBRW midpoint near 705. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–35. 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 Mount Holyoke actually cost?

Published tuition is $67,018 for in-state students and $67,018 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $19,684 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $26,441 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Mount Holyoke

Will my child graduate from Mount Holyoke?

These predict outcomes at Mount Holyoke better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Mount Holyoke

The most popular undergraduate programs at Mount Holyoke, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Research and Experimental Psychology, Political Science and Government and Economics. Across all programs, Mount Holyoke confers roughly 389 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Political Science and Government program report a median income of about $66,447 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Mount Holyoke safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Mount Holyoke disclosed 3 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.4 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Mount Holyoke?

About 97% of undergraduates at Mount Holyoke live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Massachusetts parents ask about

• Smith College
  21% acceptance
• Berklee College of Music
  44% acceptance
• New England Conservatory of Music
  41% acceptance
• Bentley University
  45% acceptance
• Babson College
  17% acceptance
• Merrimack College
  70% acceptance
• Stonehill College
  66% acceptance
• Clark University
  40% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Mount Holyoke