Colleges by Location
Colleges by Fields of Study
Colleges by Tuition Range
Colleges by GPA Range
College by SAT Range
Colleges by ACT Score
Graduate Schools by Location
Graduate Schools by Fields of Study
Graduate School by Degree Type
Paying for Graduate School
Online Graduate Programs
Test Preparation
Career Planning
College Planning
Graduate School Planning
Applying to Graduate School
Engineering Careers
- More
Poughkeepsie , NY
Vassar College is a prestigious liberal arts college located in Poughkeepsie, New York. Established in 1861, it is one of the oldest and most respected institutions of higher education in the United States. Vassar has a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence, offering its students a rigorous, intellectually stimulating education. The college prides itself on its commitment to diversity and inclusivity, cultivating a vibrant campus community that embraces individuals from all walks of life.
At Vassar College, students have the opportunity to explore a wide range of academic disciplines. The college offers more than 50 majors across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. With its student-faculty ratio of 8:1, Vassar ensures that each student receives personalized attention and support from expert faculty members. The curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, empowering students to excel in their chosen fields and make meaningful contributions to society.
Vassar College offers a vibrant campus culture that encourages students to engage in extracurricular activities and pursue their passions outside the classroom. The college boasts a wide variety of student organizations, including clubs, sports teams, and student-run publications. Campus life is enriched by a thriving arts scene, with regular performances, exhibitions, and creative events. VassarÆs picturesque campus provides a beautiful backdrop for students to live, learn, and grow, fostering a close-knit community and a sense of belonging. Whether exploring the outdoors, attending lectures and workshops, or participating in social activism, students at Vassar College find numerous opportunities to shape their education and personal development.
Vassar College is a private comprehensive higher education institution located in Poughkeepsie, NY and set in a suburban environment. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 18%. The freshman retention rate at Vassar College is 95% and the six-year graduation rate is 91%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is January 1. The transfer application deadline is March 15.
To find out more about what Vassar College has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
2,462
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$73,275
Tuition
7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
91%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. How difficult is it to get admitted to Vassar College and what are the admission requirements?
According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 2,311 in 2025. Vassar College has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the candidate. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is very difficult to get into. Having a long tradition of academic success and a dedication to encouraging intellectual curiosity, Vassar College offers a superior educational experience.
Test Scores
31% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 12% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 96% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600 and 4% between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 99 and 1 between 24-29.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 740 for the accepted students, while the average SAT Math score was 740.
Deadlines
The closing date for applications to this school is January 1. When filling out the application as a transfer student, the application deadline is March 15.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. Why is that metric important? Because it tells you if the majority of freshmen enjoyed their first year at a school enough to come back.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Vassar College was 95%, which is an outstanding retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It reflects the proportion of students who obtain their degrees within the expected timeframe. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 91%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the perfect match for you. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 2,462 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 69% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 2,462, 148 of which were foreign students. The school admitted a total of 8 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 918 male and 1,488 female full-time students in 2025, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution.
Student Population Diversity
When it comes to improving a sense of inclusion and belonging among students, there is no denying the importance of student diversity. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
This school had 286 Asian students and 92 Afro-American students in 2025. 332 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 199 as multirace. There were also 64 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before you send an application to any college or university, you should take into account the financial component. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at Vassar College? Here is what you need to know.
Tuition fees per academic year for full-time domestic students were $73,275 in 2025. As this is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 needed to pay additional fees in the amount of $990.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to consider the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $900.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
At Vassar College, the 2025 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $19,055. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 totaled $13,705 for one academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 73,275 |
| Room and Board | $ 19,055 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 900 |
| Total Expense | $ 93,230 |
Financial Aid
Obtaining some financial aid in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be vital for completing your studies. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Vassar College, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 333 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $68,147 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
1,416 students were given some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Vassar College is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was 1,428. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution came to $4,128,302, and state $987,834. The students of Vassar College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $80,188,056, and external in the amount of $2,585,002.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at Vassar College was 7:1. That means that there were 7 times more students than teachers at this school. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 367. This number included 173 men and 190 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Vassar College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Vassar College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Check out some details about campus life at Vassar College.
It has a campus size of 1,000 acres.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
There are 170 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. The most popular student organization is Ultimate Frisbee, followed by Vassar Greens and VICE (programming social events). Other popular student organizations at this school are WVKR radio station and Student Association.
There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. Interested in media and communication? Vassar College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Vassar College, there are many amenities required for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are 24-hour emergency phone and alarm devices. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a security patrol available 24/7. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Vassar College.
All in all, campus life at Vassar College is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Vassar College.
Career Counselling
At Vassar College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Knowing what salary you can expect once you have completed your studies can help you decide if a certain school matches your career goals.
Students who find employment within six months of graduating can expect an average base annual starting salary of 60,866 USD.
$60,866
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
-
Vassar College is located in Poughkeepsie, NY.
-
Vassar College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
-
The overall full-time tuition per academic year for Vassar College is 73,275 USD, based on the most recent data.
-
This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
-
The most recent reported acceptance rate for Vassar College is 18%.
-
The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Vassar College is 95%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
Find the best schools for you.
Need help with choosing grad school? We got you.
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.