Quad

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MAQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forAdmits women at a higher rateBig campusTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

6 in 10 applicants admitted

U. Massachusetts-Amherst admits about 6 in 10 applicants (60%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 76% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

60%

60%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

50,261

Admitted

30,020

Yield

18%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1310–1500

10001600
ACT middle 50%

30–33

1836
Applications +35% since fall 2014 · admit rate 61% → 60%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 23,671 undergrads, where 20% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

23.7K

undergrads · larger than 96% of colleges

Diversity index

0.64

Pell Grant

20%

below the median

First generation

22%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-I FBS · Mid-American ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.52 → 0.64 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Psychology, General (8% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 81% of faculty are full-time. Spends $20,843 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

Most popular major

Psychology, General

8% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$123.5K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

81%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$20.8K

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 $31,117 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.8K more than the national median. The 81% who received grants paid $22,948 on average; the other 19% paid the full sticker price of $34,666 in-state / $56,602 out-of-state.

25%

$31.1K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $6.8K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$34,666 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 25% of full price

Federal loans

47%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost steady · −1% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $71,631 ten years after enrolling, more than at 85% of colleges; 81% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.7 years of that salary.

81%

81%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$71.6K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.8K

≈ $241/month for 10 years

Retention

92%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 75% → 83% 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 5% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid held about steady, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 35% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 61% to 60%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    −1% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +35%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 61% → 60%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.52 → 0.64

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Ohio State University-Main Campus

61% admit · SAT 1395 · 45.6K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

55% admit · SAT 1365 · 30.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

University of Wisconsin-Madison

45% admit · SAT 1450 · 36.9K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

Texas A&M University-College Station

57% admit · SAT 1275 · 59.6K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
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; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

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

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

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

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

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

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

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

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

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

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

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

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

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

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

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

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

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

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

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

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

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

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

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

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

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

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

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

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

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

  18. 18
    University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2026)

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 166629 · 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