Trajecta score
+0.3 since '20Ranked #25 of 2,375
5-year trend
80.4 · #20
2020
82.8 · #11
2021
79.8 · #26
2022
82.1 · #15
2023
80.7 · #21
2024
Academic Profile
93/ 100
Career Outcomes
79/ 100
Student Success
93/ 100
Affordability
69/ 100
Academic Investment
97/ 100
Access & Equity
53/ 100
Academic Profile
93
Career Outcomes
79
Student Success
93
Affordability
69
Academic Investment
97
Access & Equity
53
AI Fit Analysis
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See how your profile stacks up at Amherst College — predicted chances, program fit, and a personalized application strategy.
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Cost / Net Price
$88k / $23k
SAT Avg
1,533
Retention
97%
Grad Rate
94%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$70,480
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$70,480
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
20%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
8%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$13,740
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Amherst College reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Very Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Important | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Very Important | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Very Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Not Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Very Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Very Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Important | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Not Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Not Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Important | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Important | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2026-27
school's admissions site ↗Option A - Prompt 1 (Elliott quotation)
RequiredChoose 1350 words"Hope and curiosity — these are qualities that are the foundation of what Amherst College means, of everything that we do here. Curiosity is at the core of a liberal arts education — a spirit of inquiry that shapes not only what our students do in the classroom, but also how they learn from and about each other." — Michael A. Elliott, 20th President of Amherst College, address at Amherst College's 203rd Commencement. What does curiosity mean to you? How do you experience curiosity in your own life?
Option A - Prompt 2 (Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community)
RequiredChoose 1350 words"We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world." — from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community. In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?
Option A - Prompt 3 (Presidential Priorities)
RequiredChoose 1350 words"We are working together to build a community that makes room for both true disagreement and true connection, one that practices the kind of recognition and robust negotiation that the everyday life of democracy requires, and one that explicitly prepares our students to work for the greater good in their professional and personal endeavors." — Presidential Priorities: Serving the Greater Good. Tell us about a time that you engaged with a viewpoint different from your own. How did you enter that engagement, and what did you learn about yourself from it?
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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