Wellesley College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Wellesley, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · Highly selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Decision
- Early Decision II
- 8,506
- Applicants
- 1,258
- Admitted15%
- 576
- Enrolled
- 46%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Highly selective15% admittedRanked #10 in National Liberal Arts Colleges; Computer Science #141 (tie), Economics #31 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by Wellesley College (see the source), read on 2026-09-24.
Is Wellesley College a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Wellesley College against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Wellesley College is a private nonprofit university in Wellesley, Massachusetts that admits about 15% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $25,496 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Economics, Computer and Information Sciences, General and Political Science and Government, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 91% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Wellesley College is a private institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Wellesley College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 15%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1500 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $25,496 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Wellesley College?
Most admitted students at Wellesley College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.
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What does Wellesley College weight in admissions?
Wellesley College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
4- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
- Recommendations
- Character/personal qualities
Important
4- Class rank
- Application essay
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
Considered
8- Standardized test scores
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
Not Considered
2- Interview
- Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores Wellesley College typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–790, with an EBRW midpoint near 735. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35. 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.
| 25th percentile | 1460 |
| 50th percentile | 1500 |
| 75th percentile | 1540 |
| % submitting SAT | 44% |
| 25th percentile | 33 |
| 50th percentile | 34 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 18% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional for fall 2027 entry; policy reviewed each year, updates for later cycles to come.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Wellesley College's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
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.
| Top 10% of class | 88% |
| Top 25% of class | 99% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| % submitting class rank | 25% |
How much does Wellesley College actually cost?
Published tuition is $67,176 for in-state students and $67,176 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $21,024 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $25,496 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 21% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $25,496 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $71,018 |
| Average merit award, no financial need4 first-year students received one | $55,716 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 37% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $12,364 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS Profile (incl. noncustodial parent)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Wellesley College
| Regular deadline | 1/8 |
| Notification date | Late March |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | January 5 |
| ED acceptance rate (all rounds) | 29% |
Will my child graduate from Wellesley College?
These predict outcomes at Wellesley College better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Wellesley College
The most popular undergraduate programs at Wellesley College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Computer and Information Sciences, General and Political Science and Government. Across all programs, Wellesley College confers roughly 347 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $107,567 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 92 | $107,567 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 57 | n/a |
| Political Science and Government | 42 | $60,169 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 38 | n/a |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 35 | n/a |
| Biology, General | 29 | $60,268 |
| Area Studies | 28 | $68,057 |
| Mathematics | 26 | n/a |
Is Wellesley College safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Wellesley College disclosed 5 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 4 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Wellesley College?
About 92% of undergraduates at Wellesley 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
Next steps for Wellesley College
Common questions parents ask about Wellesley College
What GPA do I need for Wellesley College?
Most admitted students at Wellesley College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.
What SAT or ACT score does Wellesley College typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–790, with an EBRW midpoint near 735. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35.
How much does Wellesley College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Wellesley College after grants and scholarships is $25,496 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $67,176. Budget against the net figure.
Is Wellesley College realistic for my child?
Wellesley College admits 15% of applicants, so 730–790 SAT Math is target range and below 730 is a reach. Then check the $25,496 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Wellesley College?
Wellesley College accepts about 15% of applicants out of roughly 8,506 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.
Is Wellesley College test-optional?
Yes. Wellesley College is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Wellesley College?
About 91% of students at Wellesley College graduate within six years, and 79% finish in four years. 95% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Wellesley College?
Wellesley College's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 29%, compared with its overall rate of 15%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
What does Wellesley College look for in applicants?
Wellesley College rates course rigor, GPA, recommendations and character and personal qualities as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Wellesley College a public or private school, and where is it located?
Wellesley College is a private nonprofit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
What are the most popular majors at Wellesley College?
The largest undergraduate majors at Wellesley College by annual graduates are Economics, Computer and Information Sciences, General and Political Science and Government. The school awards about 347 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Wellesley College safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Wellesley College reported 5 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.2 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Wellesley College?
At Wellesley College, 92% of undergraduates live on campus, 0% of men are in fraternities, 0% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Wellesley College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers