Quad

Bennington College

Bennington, VTQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forAdmits women at a higher rateGenerous aidTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 2 applicants admitted

Bennington admits about 1 in 2 applicants (45%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 87% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

45%

45%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

2,996

Admitted

1,334

Yield

12%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.70

SAT middle 50%

1291–1403

10001600
ACT middle 50%

30–32

1836
Applications +172% since fall 2014 · admit rate 67% → 45%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 780 undergrads, where 25% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

780

undergrads · larger than 30% of colleges

Diversity index

0.56

Pell Grant

25%

below the median

First generation

13%

below the median

Distant townStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.50 → 0.56 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Dance, General (13% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 41% of faculty are full-time. Spends $23,573 a year on instruction per student.

9 to 1

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

Most popular major

Dance, General

13% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Visual and Performing Arts, General

$40K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

41%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$23.6K

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 $34,220 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $9.9K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $34,220 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $87,284.

61%

$34.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $9.9K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$87,284 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
Merit aid
38% · avg $48K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 61% of full price

Federal loans

50%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost falling · −24% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $38,289 ten years after enrolling, more than at 11% of colleges; 65% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 3.6 years of that salary.

65%

65%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$38.3K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$26K

≈ $276/month for 10 years

Retention

82%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 67% → 71% 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 7% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 24%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 172% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 67% to 45%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −24% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +172%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 67% → 45%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.50 → 0.56

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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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. 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
    Bennington College Common Data Set 2023–24

    Bennington College · Fall 2023; 2022–23; 2023–24; Fall 2024 cycle; 2024–25; Fall 2024 entrants; Class of 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-11

  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
    Common Data Set

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

  13. 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. 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. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

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

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

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

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

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

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

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

  19. 19
    Bennington College (2026)

    Bennington College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 230816 · 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