Middlebury: the complete school report for parents
Middlebury rates 6 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and extracurricular activities. This is a genuinely holistic review. It does not consider the interview, so there is no interview to prepare for. Middlebury admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Applying Early Decision changes the odds sharply here: 39.0% of ED applicants were admitted against 12.8% overall.
Middlebury is officially Middlebury College. 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 2026-09-20.
Is Middlebury a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Middlebury against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Middlebury actually weigh in admissions?
Middlebury rates 6 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, extracurricular activities, 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 Middlebury's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Middlebury rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Very Important |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Very Important |
| talent | Very Important |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Middlebury 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 Middlebury consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Middlebury consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Middlebury consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Middlebury consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Middlebury consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Middlebury consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Middlebury consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Middlebury consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Middlebury consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Middlebury consider an interview?
No. Middlebury does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Middlebury consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Middlebury consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Middlebury consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Middlebury consider state residency?
No. Middlebury does not consider it.
Does Middlebury consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Middlebury consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Middlebury consider religious affiliation?
No. Middlebury does not consider it.
What is the Middlebury waitlist really like?
Middlebury offered a place on its waiting list to 1,996 applicants and 1,878 accepted one. 109 were ultimately admitted. That is 5.8% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Middlebury admitted 14.8% of 297 transfer applicants, against 12.8% 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: 39.0% of ED applicants were admitted against 12.8% overall, a gap of 26 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.
| Regular application deadline | January 1 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | Not reported |
| Reply / deposit deadline | Not reported |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Decision II offered | Yes |
| Early Decision II deadline | January 1 |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | $65 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will Middlebury actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $31,483 a year at Middlebury after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $70,120. The published price is not what most families pay.
, which the federal data puts at about $147 a month in repayment Middlebury’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Middlebury pay off?
Graduates earn a median $76,310 ten years after entering, and $57,291 at six years. 83% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 88% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$150,031 to $59,026, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Middlebury:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $150,031 | 111 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $116,041 | 49 |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | $66,610 | 35 |
| Sociology | $64,699 | 13 |
| Area Studies | $59,026 | 20 |
College Scorecard, by field of study.
Will my child actually graduate?
93% of first-years return for a second year. 93% within six (Fall 2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 90.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 94.0% of everyone else, a gap of 4.0 points.
How big are the classes?
59% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 8:1, and 91% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at Middlebury like?
2,653 undergraduates, 95.6% of first-years from out of state. 100% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 95% across all undergraduates. 22% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $77,169.
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.
- Early Decision is worth 26 points of admit rate, but it is binding and removes any ability to compare aid offers.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 109 of 1,878 who waited were admitted, about 6%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $150,031 five years out against $59,026 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 Middlebury
Does the Middlebury waitlist move?
1,878 students accepted a place on the Middlebury waiting list and 109 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Middlebury graduates earn?
Middlebury graduates earn a median $76,310 ten years after entering, and 83% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Middlebury
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Middlebury’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.