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

Smith College is a private institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Smith College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 21%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1480 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $27,579 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Smith College?

Most admitted students at Smith College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.

What does Smith College weight in admissions?

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

SAT and ACT scores Smith College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 700–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 725. 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 Smith College actually cost?

Published tuition is $65,178 for in-state students and $65,178 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $22,570 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $27,579 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 18% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Smith College

Will my child graduate from Smith College?

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

Most popular majors at Smith College

The most popular undergraduate programs at Smith College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Political Science and Government, Biology, General and Research and Experimental Psychology. Across all programs, Smith College confers roughly 364 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Political Science and Government program report a median income of about $63,650 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Smith College safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Smith College disclosed 11 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 2 violent offenses and 4 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Smith College?

About 98% of undergraduates at Smith College 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

• Berklee College of Music
  44% acceptance
• New England Conservatory of Music
  41% acceptance
• Harvard University
  4% acceptance
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  5% acceptance
• Boston University
  11% acceptance
• Boston College
  16% acceptance
• Tufts University
  11% acceptance
• University of Massachusetts-Amherst
  60% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Smith College