College Profiles/ Davidson College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Davidson College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Davidson, NC · 2,073 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Davidson 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
Davidson College admitted 14.2% of first-year applicants.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,195.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Early Decision II Jan 4, Regular Decision Jan 11.[3]
14.2%
Overall admit rate[1]
31 to 34
Middle 50% ACT[1]
$95,195
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
91.1%
Six-year graduation rate[4]
Davidson College at a Glance
- Location
- Davidson, NC
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 8:1[5]
- Endowment
- $1.4 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition, QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 96.0%[5]
The ConnectPrep Take on Davidson College
The ConnectPrep take
Davidson says it seeks evidence of academic success and well-developed interests, and it reads each transcript in the context of the applicant's school. A few interests pursued seriously beat a scattered list. The admit rate is 14.2%, and 943 students applied Early Decision. Your student can commit through ED I on Nov 15 or ED II on Jan 4, and Regular Decision closes Jan 11. Testing is optional at the application stage, but every enrolling student must submit official scores. With middle 50% section ranges of 700 to 750 in reading and writing and 690 to 760 in math, and an ACT of 31 to 34, aim for the upper half of each range. Davidson does not offer evaluative interviews. The mistake we see is missing the Belk Scholarship, which needs a school nomination by Nov 1.
What to do this fall
- Ask your counselor or principal to nominate your student for the Belk Scholarship by Nov 1; the application follows Nov 15.
- Apply for application scholarships such as Barber, Cornwell or Dobson-Neely by your chosen plan's deadline.
- Aim for SAT sections in the upper half of each range, or an ACT at or above the midpoint, working toward 34.
- Show two or three interests developed in depth, since Davidson asks for well-developed interests.
Applying to Davidson 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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Davidson College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| Early Decision[1] |
943 |
|
|
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 46.3%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
700 to 750 |
| SAT Math[1] |
690 to 760 |
| ACT composite[1] |
31 to 34 |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 750 in Reading and Writing and 760 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 34 on the ACT. 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 Davidson College looks for
In its own words: Davidson says it seeks evidence of academic success and well-developed interests, and that it reviews each transcript in the context of the applicant's school.[6]
Davidson College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
Dec 12 (ED I); by Jan 30 (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 4 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 11 |
by Apr 1 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Davidson College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
John M. Belk Scholarship
Before RD |
Nov 1 (nomination); Nov 15 (application) |
Counselor, principal or college access director nominates by Nov 1; nominees apply by Nov 15 (supporting documents by Nov 30). Applying by Nov 15 does not require Early Decision.[7] |
Charles Scholarship (Chicago)
Before RD |
Dec 15 (nomination) |
For Chicago Public School and charter students; school nominations due Dec 15, admission application Jan 13, FAFSA Feb 15.[8] |
| Application scholarships (Barber, Sloan, Cornwell, Dobson-Neely, Duke, Music, Pepper) |
Nov 15 (ED I); Jan 4 (ED II); Jan 11 (RD) |
Separate applications due at the chosen plan's deadline; apply for as many as you wish. Arts scholarships also need the Arts Portfolio Interest Form.[9] |
| No evaluative interviews |
See note |
Davidson does not offer evaluative interviews; only informal Chat with a Wildcat Q&A sessions.[10] |
See how Davidson College compares with other colleges in the South deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Davidson College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$95,195 |
| Tuition[2] |
$73,090 |
| Average share of need met[2] |
100.0% |
First-year domestic student living on campus, excluding college health insurance; the printed estimate ranges from $95,195 to $95,595 depending on transportation.[2]
- Davidson College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[2]
- International students: Davidson is aware of financial circumstances during the admission process for international students, describes aid for international students as limited and competitive, and is committed to meeting 100 percent of calculated need for those admitted. Aid must be requested at the time of application.[11]
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.[4]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$9,497 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$5,354 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$6,759 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$18,616 |
| Over $110,000 |
$42,346 |
| All aided students |
$17,379 |
Academics and Majors at Davidson College
Signature programs
No-loan financial aid
Davidson admits students independent of their family's ability to pay and meets 100 percent of calculated need without loans in the aid package.[2]
The Honor Code
A student-signed honor code grants privileges such as unproctored, self-scheduled final exams.[12]
Undergraduate research
Student-faculty research collaborations contribute to knowledge across a wide variety of fields, supported by an 8:1 student-faculty ratio.[12]
Institute for Public Good
Combines research, civic engagement, public policy, creative expression, and ethical leadership.[12]
Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
Lets students design their own interdisciplinary major beyond traditional department boundaries.[12]
Choosing a major and getting in
First-year students are assigned a Holistic Advisor who helps them explore courses across subjects before choosing a major, and students can design their own major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.[12]
Special admission paths
- QuestBridge partner (QuestBridge is one of the accepted application platforms).[6]
- Early Decision.[6]
Davidson College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[5] |
96.0% |
| Graduated within six years[4] |
91.1% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$81,400 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$18,688 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
18% |
Make Davidson 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.
Compare Similar Colleges
Davidson College FAQs
What is the Davidson College acceptance rate?
Davidson College admitted 14.2% of first-year applicants.
When are the Davidson College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Early Decision II Jan 4; Regular Decision Jan 11. 2 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does Davidson College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,195. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
Does Davidson require test scores?
Not to apply. Applicants may choose to submit SAT or ACT scores, but all enrolling students must submit official scores at the time of enrollment. The middle 50% ranges are 700 to 750 for reading and writing, 690 to 760 for math, and 31 to 34 on the ACT. We advise preparing for the upper half of those ranges.
How do you apply for the Belk Scholarship at Davidson?
A counselor, principal or college access director nominates the student by Nov 1, and nominees apply by Nov 15, with supporting documents by Nov 30. Applying by Nov 15 does not require Early Decision. Because the nomination comes from the school, families should raise it with the counselor early in the fall.
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 Davidson 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.
