Liberal arts college
#4 Best colleges in OhioOberlin College
Oberlin, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Upcoming admissions events
- Fall Visit DayOctober 30, 2026 · On campusThis is a full-day visit that includes a tour, panel sessions, and the opportunity to meet staff, students, and faculty.More about Fall Visit DayAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
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
- Best colleges in America#121 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#100 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#108 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#103 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#102 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#105 of 1,247
Show 15 more
- Best colleges for art and design in America#103 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#106 of 1,215
- Best mid-size colleges in America#59 of 667
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#106 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#105 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#101 of 1,063
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#183 of 1,829
- Best colleges for engineering in America#80 of 749
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#49 of 430
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#83 of 690
- Best colleges for economics in America#103 of 788
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#94 of 704
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Most selective colleges in America#107 of 683
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#171 of 693
In Ohio
- Best colleges in Ohio#4 of 99
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Ohio#5 of 99
- Best colleges for engineering in Ohio#2 of 36
- Best colleges for psychology in Ohio#4 of 71
- Best colleges for English in Ohio#4 of 69
- Best test-optional colleges in Ohio#4 of 68
Show 15 more
- Best colleges for history in Ohio#4 of 61
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Ohio#4 of 60
- Best colleges for art and design in Ohio#4 of 59
- Best colleges for mathematics in Ohio#4 of 55
- Best colleges for chemistry in Ohio#4 of 52
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Ohio#4 of 50
- Best colleges for music in Ohio#4 of 48
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Ohio#3 of 33
- Most selective colleges in Ohio#3 of 32
- Best colleges for economics in Ohio#4 of 41
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Ohio#4 of 33
- Best mid-size colleges in Ohio#4 of 32
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Ohio#5 of 31
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Ohio#6 of 33
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Ohio#4 of 21
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.81%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.91%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,447 · ACT 32.5
- 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.$26,123
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 |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $87,404 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) | 2,966 |
|---|---|
| Total students | 2,976 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $38,645 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $87,404 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 81% |
| First-year retention | 91% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $58,343 |
| Admission rate | 34% |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 10% |
| Average SAT | 1447 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 700–760 |
| SAT math | 660–760 |
| ACT composite | 31–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (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 |
|---|---|
| Computing and information science | |
| Economics | |
| Political science | |
| History | |
| Area studies | |
| English | |
| Psychology | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Fine arts | |
| Biology | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Archeology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Classics, Dance, Ethnic and gender studies, Film and video, Geology and earth science, German, Interdisciplinary studies, Linguistics, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Other engineering, Other legal professions and studies, Other visual and performing arts, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Romance languages, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Sociology, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,510 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · North Coast Athletic Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is Oberlin College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 7% 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 Oberlin College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $38,645 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 Oberlin College?
- Oberlin College admitted 34% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Oberlin College’s graduates do?
- 81% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $58,343; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 204501
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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