College Profiles/ Wellesley College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Wellesley College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Wellesley, MA · 2,366 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Wellesley 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
Wellesley College admitted 14.8% of 8,506 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 29.4%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1460 to 1540.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,186.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $71,018.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Early Decision II Jan 5, Regular Decision Jan 8.[3]
14.8%
Overall admit rate[1]
29.4%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1460 to 1540
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$98,186
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$71,018
Average need-based grant[1]
Wellesley College at a Glance
- Location
- Wellesley, MA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 8:1[1]
- Endowment
- $3 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition, QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 95.0%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Wellesley College
The ConnectPrep take
Wellesley is direct about the non-cognitive qualities it wants: engagement in society, creativity, emotional intelligence, empathy, and being a changemaker. Since Wellesley offers no interviews, those qualities have to come through in essays and recommendations. The admit rate is 14.8% on 8,506 applicants, and Early Decision raises it: 29.4% of 1,023 ED applicants were admitted, about 2.0 times the overall rate, though early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies. ED I closes Nov 1, ED II Jan 5, and Regular Decision Jan 8. Testing remains optional for fall 2027 entry, and about 45 percent of enrolling students applied without scores. With a middle 50% SAT of 1460 to 1540, we advise submitting at 1500 or above. The mistake we see is an ED I family missing aid: the CSS Profile is due Nov 1.
What to do this fall
- File the CSS Profile with the application on each plan's date, Nov 1 for ED I, using estimated income if needed.
- Write about a moment your student changed something, since Wellesley names being a changemaker as a quality it seeks.
- Submit an SAT of 1500 or higher, and retest toward 1540 if time allows.
- Upload any optional arts portfolio through the Wellesley Applicant Portal within one week of the plan deadline.
Applying to Wellesley 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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Wellesley College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
8,506 |
1,258 |
14.8% |
| Early Decision[1] |
1,023 |
301 |
29.4% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 24% 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 2.0 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 45.8%.[1]
- 2,214 students were offered a waitlist spot, 1,121 accepted one, and 59 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 760 |
| SAT Math[1] |
720 to 790 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1460 to 1540 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
44% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
18% |
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 Wellesley College looks for
In its own words: Wellesley highlights the non-cognitive attributes it looks for in its students: engagement in society, creativity, emotional intelligence, empathy and being a changemaker.[6]
Wellesley College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
mid-Dec (ED I); mid-Feb (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 5 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 8 |
late Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Wellesley College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Financial aid (CSS Profile, FAFSA) |
Nov 1 (ED I, QuestBridge); Jan 5 (ED II); Jan 8 (RD) |
Aid deadline is the same day as the application in every round, so ED I families must file the CSS Profile by Nov 1; estimated income is allowed. 2025 tax documents via IDOC.[7] |
| Arts portfolio |
within 1 week of application deadline |
Optional arts portfolios are submitted only through the Wellesley Applicant Portal within one week of the plan deadline.[3] |
| No interviews |
See note |
Wellesley does not offer interviews as part of the admission process, on or off campus.[8] |
See how Wellesley College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Wellesley College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$98,186 |
| Tuition[2] |
$72,570 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
55.4% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$71,018 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$72,294 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
Resident student: tuition, housing ($12,020), meals ($11,186), student activity fee ($360), books ($800) and personal expenses ($1,250); transportation varies by distance from home.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $98,186 cost of attendance down to roughly $27,168 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.
- Wellesley College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
- Beginning in fall 2027, students whose families have total annual income of $200,000 or less (with typical assets) attend tuition-free.[9]
- International students: Wellesley's need-blind admission applies to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and the college meets 100 percent of calculated need for all admitted students.[6]
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 |
$2,546 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$2,836 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$6,587 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$11,551 |
| Over $110,000 |
$54,188 |
| All aided students |
$25,496 |
Academics and Majors at Wellesley College
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Social sciences23%
- Computer and information sciences13%
- Biological/life sciences10%
- Interdisciplinary studies7%
- Physical sciences7%
Signature programs
Tuition-free for families earning $200,000 or less
Starting in fall 2027, students from families with total annual income of $200,000 or less and typical assets attend tuition-free.[9]
Women's college
Founded in 1870 by Pauline and Henry Fowle Durant, Wellesley describes itself as widely acknowledged as the top women's college in the world.[5]
QuestBridge partner
Wellesley is a QuestBridge partner school for high-achieving, low-income students.[3]
Full-need financial aid
Wellesley meets 100 percent of calculated need for all admitted students, and nearly 60 percent of current students receive aid with an average grant of $70,519.[9]
Choosing a major and getting in
First-year applicants can apply Early Decision I (November 1), Early Decision II (January 5) or Regular Decision (January 8).[3]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (November 1).[3]
- Early Decision II (January 5).[3]
- QuestBridge partner school.[3]
- Need-blind admission for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.[3]
Wellesley College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
95.0% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
78.6% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
91.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$84,803 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$10,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
21% |
Make Wellesley 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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Wellesley College FAQs
What is the Wellesley College acceptance rate?
Wellesley College admitted 14.8% of first-year applicants (1,258 of 8,506), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 29.4%.
When are the Wellesley College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Early Decision II Jan 5; Regular Decision Jan 8.
How much does Wellesley College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,186. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $71,018. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Wellesley College?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1460 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 Wellesley early decision?
Wellesley admitted 29.4% of its 1,023 Early Decision applicants against 14.8% overall, about 2.0 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies, so the true edge is smaller. ED I closes Nov 1 and ED II closes Jan 5, with aid materials due the same day as the application.
Is Wellesley tuition free for some families?
Yes. Beginning in fall 2027, students whose families have total annual income of $200,000 or less with typical assets attend tuition free. Wellesley meets 100 percent of calculated need for all admitted students, and admission is need-blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The 2026-2027 resident cost of attendance is $98,186.
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 Wellesley 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.
