Private nonprofit · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Fringe town

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio. 2,887 undergraduates. Admits 34% of applicants.

81%Graduation rate26 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$41,987Average net price per year111% above the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$60,877Median earnings 10 years after starting3% above the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$25,488Median debt at graduation18% above the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($25,488) equals 42% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($60,877).

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$12,176
$30,000–$48,000$20,246
$48,001–$75,000$18,356
$75,001–$110,000$32,410
Over $110,000$50,738

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $69,482.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate81%54%
Return for second year91%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$43,214$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$60,877$58,912
Median debt at graduation$25,488$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

38 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Computer and Information Sciences, General34$90,376$145,155—
Economics34$67,482$90,284$23,250
Political Science and Government37$53,268$84,546$23,250
Mathematics29$68,432——
Psychology, General57$31,801$61,424$25,000
Area Studies36—$57,339$24,125
Biology, General45$28,081$50,569$23,625
Natural Resources Conservation and Research39$33,621$45,339$25,000
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies20$44,098—$19,596
Music160$22,671$40,937$27,000
English Language and Literature, General16$37,312——
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics14$37,007—$21,500
History44$34,222—$25,250
Fine and Studio Arts33$27,017—$25,989
Engineering, Other5———
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services12———
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics1———
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics6———
Legal Professions and Studies, Other19———
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies38——$27,000
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology12———
Neurobiology and Neurosciences23——$21,500
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other7———
Philosophy12———
Religion/Religious Studies10———
Chemistry16———
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences9———
Physics14———
Anthropology9———
Archeology1———
Sociology19——$25,000
Dance7———
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft14———
Film/Video and Photographic Arts33——$26,000
Visual and Performing Arts, Other2———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

34%Admission rate
1,447Average SAT of admitted students
31–34ACT middle 50%
9:1Students per faculty member
13%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does Oberlin College cost per year?
The average net price at Oberlin College, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $41,987 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do Oberlin College graduates earn?
Former Oberlin College students earn a median of $60,877 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at Oberlin College?
81% of Oberlin College students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do Oberlin College graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from Oberlin College is $25,488. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.