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

Portland, Oregon · Private nonprofit · Highly selective · CDS 2024-2025

Acceptance rate
25%
9,431 applicants
Median SAT
1410
Mid 50: 1310–1490
In-state tuition
$69,350
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$33,013
after aid, what families pay
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Quick answer

Reed College is a private nonprofit university in Portland, Oregon that admits about 25% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $33,013 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Political Science and Government, Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services and Research and Experimental Psychology, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 72% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 31.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.

Reed College is a private institution located in Portland, Oregon and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Reed College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 25%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT around 1410. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $33,013 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Reed College?

53% of enrolled students at Reed College had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.01, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
4.00
53.2%
3.75–3.99
25.9%
3.50–3.74
14.0%
3.25–3.49
4.7%
3.00–3.24
1.8%
2.50–2.99
0.4%
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Reed College.

What does Reed College weight in admissions?

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

Very Important3 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Academic GPA
  • Application essay
Important4 factors
  • Class rank
  • Recommendations
  • Interview
  • Character/personal qualities

SAT and ACT scores Reed College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 610–770, with an EBRW midpoint near —. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–34. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1310
50th percentile1410
75th percentile1490
% submitting SAT52%
ACT Composite
25th percentile30
50th percentile33
75th percentile34
% submitting ACT21%
Current testing policy
  • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
  • • Policy detail: Considered if submitted

How much does Reed College actually cost?

Published tuition is $69,350 for in-state students and $69,350 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,660 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $33,013 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 15% of students receive Pell Grants.

In-state tuition
Room and board
Average net price (after aid)$33,013
Application fee$0

Application deadlines and early decision data for Reed College

Regular admission
Notification date15-Feb
Reply deadlineMay 1
Early admission
Offers Early DecisionYes
ED deadlineNovember 15
Offers Early Decision IIYes
ED II deadlineDecember 20
ED acceptance rate (all rounds)15%
Offers Early ActionYes
EA deadlineNovember 15

Will my child graduate from Reed College?

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

Freshman retention
87%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
57.3%
finished on time
6-year graduation
71.5%
finished within 6 years

Most popular majors at Reed College

The most popular undergraduate programs at Reed College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Political Science and Government, Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services and Research and Experimental Psychology. Across all programs, Reed College confers roughly 148 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its English Language and Literature, General program report a median income of about $30,743 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

MajorGraduates / yearMedian earnings (5 yrs out)
Political Science and Government26
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services21
Research and Experimental Psychology20
English Language and Literature, General18$30,743
Mathematics18
Fine and Studio Arts17
Sociology15
Anthropology13
Bachelor's-degree completions from federal IPEDS data; earnings from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Is Reed College safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Reed College disclosed 42 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 31.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 9 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

Total offenses
42
31.8 per 1,000 students
Violent crime
1
0.76 per 1,000
Sexual assault / VAWA
9
6.82 per 1,000
Burglary
17
reported incidents
Clery Act 2024, rates per 1,320 enrolled.

What is campus life like at Reed College?

About 68% of undergraduates at Reed 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.

Live on campus
68%
of undergraduates
In fraternities
0%
of men
In sororities
0%
of women
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Reed College.

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Next steps for Reed College

Common questions parents ask about Reed College

What GPA do I need for Reed College?

53% of enrolled students at Reed College had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.01, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.

What SAT or ACT score does Reed College typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 610–770, with an EBRW midpoint near —. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–34.

How much does Reed College actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Reed College after grants and scholarships is $33,013 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $69,350. Budget against the net figure.

Is Reed College realistic for my child?

Reed College admits 25% of applicants, so 610–770 SAT Math is target range and below 610 is a reach. Then check the $33,013 average net price against what your family can carry.

What is the acceptance rate at Reed College?

Reed College accepts about 25% of applicants out of roughly 9,431 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.

Is Reed College test-optional?

Yes. Reed 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 Reed College?

About 72% of students at Reed College graduate within six years, and 57% finish in four years. 87% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.

Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Reed College?

Reed College's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 15%, compared with its overall rate of 25%. The ED rate is not materially higher here, so weigh the binding commitment carefully.

What does Reed College look for in applicants?

Reed College rates course rigor, GPA and the application essay as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.

Is Reed College a public or private school, and where is it located?

Reed College is a private nonprofit institution located in Portland, Oregon.

What are the most popular majors at Reed College?

The largest undergraduate majors at Reed College by annual graduates are Political Science and Government, Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services and Research and Experimental Psychology. The school awards about 148 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.

Is Reed College safe? What is its campus crime rate?

Reed College reported 42 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 31.8 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 Reed College?

At Reed College, 68% 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 Reed College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers