Quad

Bates College

Lewiston, MEQuad's selectivityHighly selective
Known forTop test scoresHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 11, 2026

  • Fall 2025: 9,660 applied (fall 2024: 10,027)Bates College (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 1,433 admits (fall 2024: 1,336)Bates College (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 15% admitted (fall 2024: 13%)Bates College (Fall 2025)
  • Entered fall 2024: 92% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 91%)Bates College Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:Bates College (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Bates College Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

1 in 7 applicants admitted

Bates admits about 1 in 7 applicants (15%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 96% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

15%

15%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Applied

9,660

Admitted

1,433

Yield

34%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1420–1530

10001600
ACT middle 50%

31–34

1836
Applications +99% since fall 2014 · admit rate 25% → 13%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,760 undergrads, where 12% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

1.8K

undergrads · larger than 53% of colleges

Diversity index

0.60

Pell Grant

12%

below the median

First generation

15%

below the median

Small cityFirst-years live on campusNCAA D-III · New England Small College Athletic ConferenceStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.47 → 0.60 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Econometrics and Quantitative Economics (12% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 95% of faculty are full-time. Spends $27,338 a year on instruction per student.

9 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 84% of colleges

Most popular major

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics

12% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Economics

$110.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

95%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$27.3K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $59,892 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $35.6K more than the national median. The 40% who received grants paid $24,723 on average; the other 60% paid the full sticker price of $83,532.

28%

$59.9K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $35.6K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$83,532 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
None
all grants are need-based
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 28% of full price

Federal loans

14%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost rising · +7% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $69,498 ten years after enrolling, more than at 83% of colleges; 92% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 3.4 years of that salary.

92%

92%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$69.5K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$14.3K

≈ $151/month for 10 years

Retention

92%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 88% → 90% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 4% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid rose 7%, as grants covered less of it. Applications rose 99% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 25% to 13%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +7% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +99%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 25% → 13% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.47 → 0.60

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Davidson College

13% admit · SAT 1465 · 1.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

Franklin and Marshall College

36% admit · SAT 1387 · 1.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

Trinity College

29% admit · SAT 1384 · 2.1K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

Reed College

25% admit · SAT 1405 · 1.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    Bates College Common Data Set 2025–26

    Bates College · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; Entered fall 2024; 2025–26 (estimated); 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  4. 4
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Bates College (2026–27)

    Bates College · 2026–27 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  13. 13
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  20. 20
    Bates College (2026)

    Bates College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 160977 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything