Nashville, TN · 7.2k students
Trajecta score
+2.9 since '20Ranked #10 of 2,375
5-year trend
83.1 · #11
2020
82.9 · #18
2021
83.5 · #14
2022
84.5 · #14
2023
86.0 · #11
2024
Academic Profile
97/ 100
Career Outcomes
88/ 100
Student Success
92/ 100
Affordability
79/ 100
Academic Investment
96/ 100
Access & Equity
53/ 100
Academic Profile
97
Career Outcomes
88
Student Success
92
Affordability
79
Academic Investment
96
Access & Equity
53
AI Fit Analysis
Unlock your AI fit analysis
See how your profile stacks up at Vanderbilt University — predicted chances, program fit, and a personalized application strategy.
Sign up freeAlready have an account? Log in
Cost / Net Price
$90k / $16k
SAT Avg
1,549
Retention
96%
Grad Rate
93%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$67,498
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$67,498
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
20%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
10%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$14,000
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.
3.89
average high school GPA of enrolled freshmen · 100% reporting
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Vanderbilt University 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: Very Important | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Important | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Very Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Considered | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2026-27
school's admissions site ↗Short Answer: Dare to Grow
Requiredapproximately 250 wordsVanderbilt University's motto, Crescere aude, is Latin for "dare to grow." In your response, reflect on how one or more aspects of your identity, culture, or background has played a role in your personal growth, and how it will contribute to our campus community as you dare to grow at Vanderbilt.
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.
Share this score card
Download Vanderbilt University's Trajecta Score as an image.
Neighbors in Tennessee, plus the closest schools nationally by Trajecta Score.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, TN
Rhodes College
Memphis, TN
The University of the South
Sewanee, TN
American Baptist College
Nashville, TN
Baptist Health Sciences University
Memphis, TN
Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Yale University
New Haven, CT