Vanderbilt University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Nashville, Tennessee · Private nonprofit · Most selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Decision
- Early Decision II
- 48,196
- Applicants
- 2,593
- Admitted5%
- 1,635
- Enrolled
- 63%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Most selective5% admittedRanked #16 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #26 (tie), Computer Science #34 (tie), Economics #26 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by Vanderbilt University (see the source), read on 2026-09-20. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
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Vanderbilt University is a private nonprofit university in Nashville, Tennessee that admits about 5% of applicants, making it a most selective school. The average family pays about $15,846 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Economics and Social Sciences, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 93% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 17.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Vanderbilt University is a private institution located in Nashville, Tennessee and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Vanderbilt University admits fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 5%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1530 and an ACT composite around 35. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $15,846 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about Vanderbilt University right now
Vanderbilt University, founded in 1873 with a $1 million endowment from shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, and a founding member of the Southeastern Conference, the conference's only private school since 1966. With about 13,800 students across ten schools and colleges, Vanderbilt combines an intimate undergraduate scale with deep research resources, and it is consistently ranked among the most selective universities in the country. Distinctive academic strengths include the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, which is regularly ranked the top graduate school of education and increasingly a destination for undergraduates interested in human and organizational development, the Blair School of Music, and the Owen and engineering programs that pair with Vanderbilt's medical center for biomedical pathways. For parents, the most important recent development is Opportunity Vanderbilt, the university's longstanding no-loan, full-need financial aid commitment for admitted domestic undergraduates, which Vanderbilt has continued to expand through 2024 with raised income thresholds for full-tuition coverage. Vanderbilt has continued a test-optional policy in recent cycles and uses both Early Decision I and II rounds, which historically admit a substantial share of the entering class. Recent campus news of interest includes the opening of the West End Neighborhood residential colleges, completing the FutureVU campus plan that reorganizes undergraduate housing into a residential college system.
What GPA does my child need for Vanderbilt University?
88% of enrolled students at Vanderbilt University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.895, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
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What does Vanderbilt University weight in admissions?
Vanderbilt University reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
6- Rigor of secondary school record
- Class rank
- Academic GPA
- Application essay
- Extracurricular activities
- Character/personal qualities
Important
3- Standardized test scores
- Recommendations
- Talent/ability
Considered
7- Interview
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
2- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Vanderbilt University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35. 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 | 1510 |
| 50th percentile | 1530 |
| 75th percentile | 1560 |
| % submitting SAT | 24% |
| 25th percentile | 34 |
| 50th percentile | 35 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 28% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional for fall 2027 and fall 2028 entry; ACT or SAT will be required starting with fall 2029 applicants.
- • Changing for 2028-2029 applicants: tests will be required.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Vanderbilt University'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 | 91.4% |
| Top 25% of class | 95.4% |
| Top 50% of class | 98.8% |
| % submitting class rank | 19.8% |
How much does Vanderbilt University actually cost?
Published tuition is $67,498 for in-state students and $67,498 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $22,054 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $15,846 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $69,822 |
| Room and board | $23,690 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $15,846 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $77,563 |
| Average merit award, no financial need134 first-year students received one | $32,791 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 19% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $30,578 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS ProfileCollege Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Vanderbilt University
| Regular deadline | January 1 |
| Notification date | April 1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | January 1 |
| ED acceptance rate (all rounds) | 14% |
Will my child graduate from Vanderbilt University?
These predict outcomes at Vanderbilt University better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Vanderbilt University
The most popular undergraduate programs at Vanderbilt University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Economics and Social Sciences, General. Across all programs, Vanderbilt University confers roughly 1,438 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other program report a median income of about $73,586 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 279 | $73,586 |
| Economics | 251 | $128,449 |
| Social Sciences, General | 245 | $90,203 |
| Computer Science | 205 | n/a |
| Mathematics | 151 | $140,068 |
| Political Science and Government | 104 | $92,330 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 103 | $70,739 |
| Psychology, General | 100 | $62,840 |
Is Vanderbilt University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Vanderbilt University disclosed 127 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 17.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 16 violent offenses and 25 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Vanderbilt University?
About 75% of undergraduates at Vanderbilt University live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 27% 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.
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Next steps for Vanderbilt University
Common questions parents ask about Vanderbilt University
What GPA do I need for Vanderbilt University?
88% of enrolled students at Vanderbilt University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.895, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Vanderbilt University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35.
How much does Vanderbilt University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Vanderbilt University after grants and scholarships is $15,846 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $67,498. Budget against the net figure.
Is Vanderbilt University realistic for my child?
Vanderbilt University admits 5% of applicants, so 770–800 SAT Math is target range and below 770 is a reach. Then check the $15,846 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Vanderbilt University?
Vanderbilt University accepts about 5% of applicants out of roughly 48,196 who apply each year. That makes it a most selective school.
Is Vanderbilt University test-optional?
Yes. Vanderbilt University 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. That changes for the 2028-2029 cycle, when tests become required.
What is the graduation rate at Vanderbilt University?
About 93% of students at Vanderbilt University graduate within six years. 97% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Vanderbilt University?
Vanderbilt University's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 14%, compared with its overall rate of 5%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
What does Vanderbilt University look for in applicants?
Vanderbilt University rates course rigor, class rank, 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 Vanderbilt University a public or private school, and where is it located?
Vanderbilt University is a private nonprofit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee.
What are the most popular majors at Vanderbilt University?
The largest undergraduate majors at Vanderbilt University by annual graduates are Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Economics and Social Sciences, General. The school awards about 1,438 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Vanderbilt University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Vanderbilt University reported 127 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 17.6 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 Vanderbilt University?
At Vanderbilt University, 75% of undergraduates live on campus, 27% of men are in fraternities, 32% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Vanderbilt University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers