Sarah Lawrence College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Bronxville, New York · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
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Sarah Lawrence College is a private nonprofit university in Bronxville, New York that admits about 62% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $41,437 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 71% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 4.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Sarah Lawrence College is a private institution located in Bronxville, New York with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Sarah Lawrence College admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 62%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1350 and an ACT composite around 31. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $41,437 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Sarah Lawrence College?
60% of enrolled students at Sarah Lawrence College had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.8, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What does Sarah Lawrence College weight in admissions?
Sarah Lawrence College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
SAT and ACT scores Sarah Lawrence College typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 590–690, with an EBRW midpoint near 710. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–31. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1270 |
| 50th percentile | 1350 |
| 75th percentile | 1440 |
| % submitting SAT | 9% |
| 25th percentile | 28 |
| 50th percentile | 30 |
| 75th percentile | 31 |
| % submitting ACT | 4% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
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 | 24% |
| Top 25% of class | 55% |
| Top 50% of class | 85% |
| % submitting class rank | 16% |
How much does Sarah Lawrence College actually cost?
Published tuition is $66,862 for in-state students and $66,862 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $18,426 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $41,437 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 12% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $69,608 |
| Room and board | $19,348 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $41,437 |
| Application fee | — |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Sarah Lawrence College
| Regular deadline | January 15 |
| Notification date | Mid-March |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | January 15 |
| ED acceptance rate (all rounds) | 50% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from Sarah Lawrence College?
These predict outcomes at Sarah Lawrence College better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Sarah Lawrence College
The most popular undergraduate programs at Sarah Lawrence College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. Across all programs, Sarah Lawrence College confers roughly 318 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities program report a median income of about $42,672 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 318 | $42,672 |
Is Sarah Lawrence College safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Sarah Lawrence College disclosed 7 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 7 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Sarah Lawrence College?
About 85% of undergraduates at Sarah Lawrence 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.
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Next steps for Sarah Lawrence College
Common questions parents ask about Sarah Lawrence College
What GPA do I need for Sarah Lawrence College?
60% of enrolled students at Sarah Lawrence College had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.8, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Sarah Lawrence College typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 590–690, with an EBRW midpoint near 710. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–31.
How much does Sarah Lawrence College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Sarah Lawrence College after grants and scholarships is $41,437 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $66,862. Budget against the net figure.
Is Sarah Lawrence College realistic for my child?
Sarah Lawrence College admits 62% of applicants, so 590–690 SAT Math is target range and below 590 is a reach. Then check the $41,437 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Sarah Lawrence College?
Sarah Lawrence College accepts about 62% of applicants out of roughly 4,617 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Sarah Lawrence College test-optional?
Yes. Sarah Lawrence College is test-optional, 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 Sarah Lawrence College?
About 71% of students at Sarah Lawrence College graduate within six years, and 59% finish in four years. 88% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Sarah Lawrence College?
Sarah Lawrence College's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 50%, compared with its overall rate of 62%. The ED rate is not materially higher here, so weigh the binding commitment carefully.
What does Sarah Lawrence College look for in applicants?
Sarah Lawrence College rates the application essay and recommendations as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Sarah Lawrence College a public or private school, and where is it located?
Sarah Lawrence College is a private nonprofit institution located in Bronxville, New York.
What are the most popular majors at Sarah Lawrence College?
The largest undergraduate majors at Sarah Lawrence College by annual graduates are Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. The school awards about 318 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Sarah Lawrence College safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Sarah Lawrence College reported 7 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 4.6 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 Sarah Lawrence College?
At Sarah Lawrence College, 85% 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 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Sarah Lawrence College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers