College Profiles/ Williams College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Williams College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Williamstown, MA · 2,101 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Williams 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
Williams College admitted 8.6% of 15,520 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 26.6%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1490 to 1550.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,960.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $80,302.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Regular Decision Jan 4.[3]
8.6%
Overall admit rate[1]
26.6%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1490 to 1550
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$95,960
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$80,302
Average need-based grant[1]
Williams College at a Glance
- Location
- Williamstown, MA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 7:1[1]
- Endowment
- $3.5 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir), QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 97.4%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Williams College
The ConnectPrep take
Williams says it is building a class with a wide variety of curiosities and passions, made up of students who want to work well with others. That second half matters, because the signature academic experience is the tutorial: two students and one professor. Williams does not interview, so the essays and recommendations must show your student thinking alongside other people. The admit rate is 8.6% on 15,520 applicants. Early Decision on Nov 15 moves the odds: 26.6% of 964 ED applicants were admitted, about 3.1 times the overall rate, though early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies. Testing is optional; with a middle 50% SAT of 1490 to 1550, submit at 1520 or higher and aim for 1550. The mistake we see is a file full of solo achievement with no sign of collaboration.
What to do this fall
- Apply Early Decision by Nov 15 if Williams is clearly first, and submit the aid application the same day.
- Ask a teacher who has seen your student work in discussion or a team to write a recommendation.
- Send an SAT of 1520 or higher, and retest toward 1550 if the first result falls short.
- Artists can add a dance, music, theatre or visual art supplement through SlideRoom by their round's deadline.
Applying to Williams 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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Williams College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
15,520 |
1,336 |
8.6% |
| Early Decision[1] |
964 |
256 |
26.6% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 19% 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 3.1 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 42.4%.[1]
- 2,193 students were offered a waitlist spot, 850 accepted one, and 25 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] |
740 to 770 |
| SAT Math[1] |
740 to 790 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1490 to 1550 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
43% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
18% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1550 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 1520, 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 Williams College looks for
In its own words: Williams says its admission process is focused on building a class that brings a wide variety of curiosities and passions, made up of students who want to work well with others.[3]
Williams College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
by Dec 14 |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 4 |
by Apr 1 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Williams College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Arts Supplement (SlideRoom) |
Oct 31 (QuestBridge); Nov 15 (ED); Jan 4 (RD) |
Optional dance, music, theatre and visual art supplements via Williams SlideRoom, $10 per program with fee waivers available. QuestBridge Match applicants must submit by Oct 31, 2026.[7] |
| No interviews |
See note |
Williams does not conduct interviews in its admission process.[3] |
See how Williams College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Williams College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$95,960 |
| Tuition[2] |
$76,300 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
56.8% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$80,302 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$80,302 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
Comprehensive fee: tuition, housing ($9,830), meals ($9,490) and activities and residential house fees ($340), without the $1,500 study away fee. Williams estimates books at $1,000.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $95,960 cost of attendance down to roughly $15,658 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.
- Williams College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[2]
- Families earning $200,000 or less (with typical assets) pay no tuition, and many also receive aid beyond tuition.[2]
- International students: Williams offers financial aid to international students, and about 70 percent of international students receive aid from the college; applicants who may seek aid must indicate that on the application. Need-blind admission applies to domestic applicants.[8]
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 |
$0 (aid exceeded cost) |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$0 (aid exceeded cost) |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$0 (aid exceeded cost) |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$3,030 |
| Over $110,000 |
$49,594 |
| All aided students |
$17,716 |
Academics and Majors at Williams College
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Social sciences23%
- Mathematics and statistics10%
- Computer and information sciences8%
- Psychology8%
- Visual and performing arts7%
Signature programs
Tutorials
Two students and one professor in a format adapted from Oxford, mixing independent study, discussion and close faculty mentorship; Williams offers up to 100 a year and more than half of students take at least one.[9]
Winter Study
A January term in which students focus deeply on interests from the academic year or pursue something entirely new, on campus or overseas, including internships and independent research.[10]
No-loan financial aid
Williams meets 100 percent of demonstrated need with no loans and no work-study expectations, and families earning $200,000 or less with typical assets pay no tuition.[2]
Multiple majors
Approximately 45 percent of Williams students graduate with more than one major across 37 majors.[6]
Choosing a major and getting in
Williams admits students to the college as a whole rather than to a specific major, and students choose among 37 majors and 26 departments after enrolling; about 45 percent graduate with more than one major.[6]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision (November 15 deadline, decision by December 14).[3]
- QuestBridge for high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds.[3]
- Need-blind admission for domestic applicants.[3]
Williams College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
97.4% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
79.2% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
95.2% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$88,665 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$12,761 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
18% |
Make Williams 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
Williams College FAQs
What is the Williams College acceptance rate?
Williams College admitted 8.6% of first-year applicants (1,336 of 15,520), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 26.6%.
When are the Williams College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Regular Decision Jan 4.
How much does Williams College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,960. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $80,302. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Williams College?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1490 to 1550 on the SAT and 33 to 35 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1550, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional.
Is it easier to get into Williams early decision?
Williams admitted 26.6% of its 964 Early Decision applicants against 8.6% overall, about 3.1 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies, so the true advantage is smaller. ED closes Nov 15 with a decision by Dec 14, and the aid application is due with the admission application.
Does Williams College meet full need?
Yes. Williams meets 100% of demonstrated need with no loans and no work-study expectations. Families earning $200,000 or less with typical assets pay no tuition, and many also receive aid beyond tuition. Admission is need-blind for domestic applicants, and about 70 percent of international students receive aid from the college.
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 Williams 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.
