Specialized school
#18 Best small colleges in AmericaFranklin W Olin College of Engineering
Needham, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $25,171 a year
Median debt at graduation: $19,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#20 of 1,829
- Best small colleges in America#18 of 906
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#12 of 598
- Best colleges in America#65 of 1,829
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#25 of 690
- Best test-optional colleges in America#59 of 1,481
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- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#36 of 693
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#39 of 682
- Best colleges for engineering in America#44 of 749
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#44 of 681
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#57 of 704
- Most selective colleges in America#87 of 683
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in America#36 of 239
- Best colleges in the Boston area#9 of 51
- Best value colleges in America#135 of 674
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#149 of 684
In Massachusetts
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Massachusetts#2 of 46
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Massachusetts#2 of 38
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Massachusetts#4 of 67
- Best small colleges in Massachusetts#2 of 31
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Massachusetts#3 of 46
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Massachusetts#6 of 47
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- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Massachusetts#6 of 45
- Best value colleges in Massachusetts#7 of 46
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in Massachusetts#7 of 46
- Best test-optional colleges in Massachusetts#9 of 59
- Best colleges in Massachusetts#11 of 67
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Massachusetts#8 of 47
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Massachusetts#9 of 46
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Massachusetts#12 of 47
- Best colleges for engineering in Massachusetts#6 of 22
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.96%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.98%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,520
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$33,960
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $86,474 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 402 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 53% · Women 47% |
| Total students | 402 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $25,171 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $86,474 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 96% |
| First-year retention | 98% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $129,455 |
| Admission rate | 25% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $85 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 12% |
| Average SAT | 1520 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 723–768 |
| SAT math | 770–790 |
| ACT composite | — |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 24% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Engineering (general) |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Electrical engineering, Mechanical engineering.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Engineering |
Campus life
| Setting | Suburb |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $20,810 |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 17%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 92%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $1,067,073IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 91% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)About 14 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Town population | 32,459Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 13 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 26°F in January · 72°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Natick, MA, about 4 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.47 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Franklin W Olin College of Engineering’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 4% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Franklin W Olin College of Engineering cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $25,171 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Franklin W Olin College of Engineering?
- Franklin W Olin College of Engineering admitted 25% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Franklin W Olin College of Engineering’s graduates do?
- 96% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $129,455; the median federal debt at graduation is $19,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 441982
- Carnegie classification: Special focus: engineering/technology
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Compare side by side: Franklin W Olin College of Engineering vs Harvey Mudd · Franklin W Olin College of Engineering vs Worcester Polytechnic Institute · Franklin W Olin College of Engineering vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Franklin W Olin College of Engineering vs Webb Institute
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