Hillsdale College

Hillsdale, MI · MidwestQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Known forBig endowment per studentFew students borrowHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 5 applicants admitted

Hillsdale admits about 1 in 5 applicants (21%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 95% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

21%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Applied

3,181

Admitted

659

Yield

56%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.89

SAT middle 50%

1320–1490

10001600

ACT middle 50%

30–33

1836

Applications +71% since fall 2015 · admit rate 50% → 21%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,573 undergrads, where 0% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

1.6K

undergrads · larger than 50% of colleges

Diversity index

0.00

Pell Grant

below the median

Distant townNCAA D-II · Great Midwest Athletic ConferenceStudy abroad

Steady · index 0.00 → 0.00 since fall 2015Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is History, General (11% of graduates). 8 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 89% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $40,494 a year on instruction per student.

8 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 89% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $24,283 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), about the national median. The 99% who received grants paid $23,993 on average; the other 1% paid the full sticker price of $48,472.

50%

$24.3K

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

Full price: $48,472 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

Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 50% of full price

Federal loans

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office

Cost falling · −21% after inflation since 2014–15Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

86% graduate within six years.

86%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Retention

97%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 77% → 90% since the class that entered fall 2009Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2014–15, the full price rose 3% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 21%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 71% since fall 2015, and the acceptance rate went from 50% to 21%.

Cost
Falling
−21% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+71%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 50% → 21%
Diversity
Steady
index 0.00 → 0.00

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Wofford College

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Furman University

46% admit · SAT 1350 · 2.4K undergrads

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Providence College

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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
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
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
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
Hillsdale College Common Data Set 2018–19
Hillsdale College · Fall 2018; 2018–19 (estimated); 2018–19; Fall 2019 cycle; Fall 2019 entrants · retrieved 2026-10-11
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
19
Hillsdale College (2026)
Hillsdale College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 170286 · 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