Brown: the complete school report for parents
Brown rates 8 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and test scores. This is a genuinely holistic review. It does not consider demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. Brown admits fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, and a strong test score is close to expected. Applying Early Decision changes the odds sharply here: 17.9% of ED applicants were admitted against 6.3% overall.
Brown is officially Brown University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-10-21.
Is Brown a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Brown against the figures above. No account needed.
What’s new at Brown for 2026-27
Brown now waives its $80 application fee for seniors at Providence public high schools. Starting with applicants for fall 2027 entry, Brown waives the undergraduate application fee for seniors at all Providence public high schools, including district and charter schools. The waiver applies to both Early Decision and Regular Decision and is claimed through the Common Application. Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or other low-income programs already qualify for a fee waiver.
What does Brown actually weigh in admissions?
Brown rates 8 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, test scores, the essay, recommendations, personal qualities, talent, class rank. It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Brown's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Brown rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Very Important |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Very Important |
| personal qualities | Very Important |
| talent | Very Important |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Brown consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Brown consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Brown consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. A score at or above the middle-50 range is close to expected here.
Does Brown consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does Brown consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Brown consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Brown consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Brown consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Brown consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Brown consider demonstrated interest?
No. Brown does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does Brown consider an interview?
No. Brown does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Brown consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Brown consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Brown consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Brown consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Brown consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Brown consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Brown consider religious affiliation?
No. Brown does not consider it.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Brown admitted 5.9% of 3,306 transfer applicants, against 6.3% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 17.9% of ED applicants were admitted against 6.3% overall, a gap of 12 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.
| Regular application deadline | January 5 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | March 25 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | $80 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Brown requires 17 academic units and recommends 22. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 4 years | 4 years |
| Science | 2 years | 4 years |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 3 years | 4 years |
| History | 2 years | Not stated |
| Visual / performing arts | 0 years | Not stated |
What will Brown actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $25,184 a year at Brown after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $74,368. The published price is not what most families pay. It also gave 3 merit awards averaging $22,364 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
20% of Brown graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $36,263 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $121 a month in repayment. Brown’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Brown pay off?
Graduates earn a median $93,487 ten years after entering, and $79,131 at six years. 87% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 87% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$271,601 to $55,145, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Brown:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $271,601 | 250 |
| Applied Mathematics | $135,511 | 178 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | $118,561 | 51 |
| Engineering, General | $117,101 | 78 |
| Economics | $112,306 | 215 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $104,415 | 100 |
| Political Science and Government | $82,914 | 58 |
| History | $81,596 | 83 |
| Education, General | $79,577 | 37 |
| Area Studies | $64,366 | 74 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $55,569 | 60 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $55,145 | 36 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
99% of first-years return for a second year. 75% graduate within four years and 96% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 92.3% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 96.3% of everyone else, a gap of 4.0 points.
How big are the classes?
66% of class sections have fewer than 20 students. The student-faculty ratio is 6:1, and 92% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at Brown like?
7,951 undergraduates, 96% of first-years from out of state. 96% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 75% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 3% of men join a fraternity and 3% of women a sorority. 17% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $79,027.
Brown requires traditional undergraduates to live on campus for a minimum of six semesters, and all first-year undergraduates live on campus.
Source: Incoming Students, Brown Residential Life; Facts About Brown
Brown is an NCAA Division I school and a founding member of the Ivy League, with 34 varsity teams and 37 club sports teams.
Brown students can study abroad in more than 40 countries.
Source: Brown by the Numbers
Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (UTRAs) fund students to work with Brown faculty on research and teaching projects in the summer or during the academic year. Brown reports that 95% of 2023 graduates were employed or in graduate or professional school within nine months of graduation.
Source: Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards, Brown University; Brown by the Numbers
How is Brown ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?
Brown is ranked =73 for Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:
| Ranking | Position |
|---|---|
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 | =73 |
| Academic Ranking of World Universities (ShanghaiRanking) 2026 | #101-150 |
Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.
Source: Brown University, Times Higher Education World University Rankings; Brown University, ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
Brown counts 124,979 alumni living in 160 countries. The university does not define the count further.
Source: Brown by the Numbers
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Brown recommends 22 academic units.
- Brown rates test scores Very Important, so a score at or above its middle-50 range is close to expected rather than optional.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- Early Decision is worth 12 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
- Its highest-earning major returns $271,601 five years out against $55,145 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Brown
What do Brown graduates earn?
Brown graduates earn a median $93,487 ten years after entering, and 87% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Brown
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Brown’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-10-21. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.