College Profiles/ Amherst College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Amherst College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Amherst, MA · 1,907 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Amherst College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Amherst College admitted 7.7% of 15,819 first-year applicants.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 22.2%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1470 to 1540.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,160.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $76,445.[3] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 9, Regular Decision Jan 5.[4]
7.7%
Overall admit rate[1]
22.2%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1470 to 1540
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$98,160
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$76,445
Average need-based grant[3]
Amherst College at a Glance
- Location
- Amherst, MA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 6.6:1[8]
- Endowment
- $3.5 billion (federal data)[5]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[4]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir), QuestBridge[4]
- First-year retention
- 98.0%[7]
The ConnectPrep Take on Amherst College
The ConnectPrep take
Amherst looks for strong and vibrant intellectual promise, character, and students who will embrace the academic freedom of its open curriculum and engage closely with professors. With no required courses, the application has to show how your student will choose: which questions they chase, which teachers they seek out. The admit rate is 7.7% on 15,819 applicants. Early Decision closes Nov 9, 2026, and 22.2% of 971 ED applicants were admitted, about 2.9 times the overall rate; early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies. Testing is optional and scores may be self-reported. With a middle 50% SAT of 1470 to 1540, we advise submitting at 1505 or above and aiming for 1540. Amherst is need-blind for all applicants. The mistake we see is an application that never explains what your student would do with that freedom.
What to do this fall
- Use the supplement to sketch the courses and questions your student would pursue in an open curriculum.
- Apply ED by Nov 9, and file aid applications by Nov 13.
- Self-report an SAT of 1505 or higher, and keep working toward 1540.
- Upload any arts supplement in the Application Status Portal by Nov 13 for ED or Jan 15 for RD.
Applying to Amherst College? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Amherst College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
15,819 |
1,222 |
7.7% |
| Early Decision[1] |
971 |
216 |
22.2% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 18% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 2.9 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 39.7%.[1]
- 1,294 students were offered a waitlist spot, 740 accepted one, and 44 were admitted from it.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
730 to 770 |
| SAT Math[1] |
730 to 790 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1470 to 1540 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
40% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
16% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1540 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 35 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1500, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Amherst College looks for
In its own words: Amherst says it seeks exceptional students of strong and vibrant intellectual promise whose intellect and character will help them thrive, who will embrace the academic freedom of the open curriculum, engage with professors and add to a diverse community that educates one another.[10]
Amherst College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 9 |
early to mid-Dec |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 5 |
Mar 20 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Amherst College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Financial aid application |
Nov 13 (ED); Jan 15 (RD) |
ED aid applicants should submit aid applications by Nov 13, 2026; RD aid applicants by Jan 15, 2027.[4] |
| Arts Supplement |
Nov 9 (QuestBridge); Nov 13 (ED); Jan 15 (RD) |
Music, theater, dance or visual art material uploaded in the Application Status Portal after applying, reviewed by faculty. QuestBridge deadline Nov 9, 2026; a short unspecified grace period is allowed.[11] |
See how Amherst College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Amherst College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$98,160 |
| Tuition[2] |
$75,330 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[3] |
57.3% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[3] |
$76,445 |
| Average total financial aid package[3] |
$77,414 |
| Average share of need met[3] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[3] |
1 students, average $22,017 |
Typical student expense budget: tuition, housing ($10,980), meals ($9,340), fees ($710) and personal expenses ($1,800); required course materials are covered by the comprehensive fee and travel varies.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $98,160 cost of attendance down to roughly $21,715 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Amherst College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[12]
- International students: Need-blind. Amherst practices need-blind admission for all students, domestic and international, and meets each admitted student's full calculated need.[12]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[5]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$1,086 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$1,570 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$17,478 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$23,639 |
| Over $110,000 |
$47,521 |
| All aided students |
$23,367 |
Academics and Majors at Amherst College
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[13]
- Social sciences18%
- Mathematics and statistics13%
- Psychology10%
- Biological/life sciences8%
- Computer and information sciences8%
Signature programs
Open Curriculum
Amherst invites students to embrace the academic freedom of its open curriculum and to engage closely with its professors.[10]
Five College Consortium
Students can choose from more than 6,000 additional courses through the Five College Consortium, a combined community of about 31,000 undergraduates.[9]
Need-blind admission for all applicants
Amherst is need-blind for domestic and international applicants and meets full calculated need.[12]
Study abroad
About 45 percent of Amherst students study abroad.[9]
Choosing a major and getting in
Amherst admits students to the college as a whole, and students choose among 43 majors in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.[9]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision (deadline November 9, 2026).[14]
- QuestBridge Application (one of three accepted first-year applications).[14]
- Need-blind admission for domestic and international applicants.[14]
Amherst College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[7] |
98.0% |
| Graduated within four years[7] |
73.2% |
| Graduated within six years[7] |
93.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[5] |
$77,644 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[5] |
$13,740 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[5] |
20% |
Make Amherst College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Amherst College FAQs
What is the Amherst College acceptance rate?
Amherst College admitted 7.7% of first-year applicants (1,222 of 15,819). The Early Decision admit rate was 22.2%.
When are the Amherst College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 9; Regular Decision Jan 5.
How much does Amherst College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,160. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $76,445. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Amherst College?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1470 to 1540 on the SAT and 33 to 35 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1540, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional.
Is it easier to get into Amherst early decision?
Amherst admitted 22.2% of its 971 Early Decision applicants against 7.7% overall, about 2.9 times the overall rate. That pool is self-selected and often includes recruited athletes and legacies, so the real edge is smaller. ED closes Nov 9, 2026, with aid applications due Nov 13 and decisions in early to mid-December.
Is Amherst need-blind for international students?
Yes. Amherst practices need-blind admission for all students, domestic and international, and meets each admitted student's full calculated need. About 57.3% of full-time first-year students received need-based aid. For 2026-2027, the typical student budget is $98,160, so the aid application deserves the same care as the admission application.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Amherst College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
