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

Davidson College is a private institution located in Davidson, North Carolina and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Davidson College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 13%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT around 1460. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,379 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Davidson College?

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

What does Davidson College weight in admissions?

Davidson College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores Davidson College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 705–780. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 31–34. 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 Davidson College actually cost?

Published tuition is $64,410 for in-state students and $64,410 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,100 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $17,379 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 18% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Davidson College

Will my child graduate from Davidson College?

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

Most popular majors at Davidson College

The most popular undergraduate programs at Davidson College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Political Science and Government and Biology, General. Across all programs, Davidson College confers roughly 364 bachelor's degrees a year. What these figures mean

Is Davidson College safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Davidson College disclosed 10 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.4 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 9 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Davidson College?

About 93% of undergraduates at Davidson College live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 14% of men join a fraternity and 32% 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 North Carolina parents ask about

• Elon University
  66% acceptance
• High Point University
  75% acceptance
• University of North Carolina at Pembroke
  93% acceptance
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
  64% acceptance
• Duke University
  6% acceptance
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  15% acceptance
• Wake Forest University
  22% acceptance
• North Carolina State University at Raleigh
  42% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Davidson College