Liberal arts college
#12 Most selective colleges in MassachusettsSmith College
Northampton, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $28,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $17,550 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Fall Open HouseNovember 11, 2026 · 12:30 PM–5:30 PM · John M. Greene Hall, 60 N Elm St, Northampton, MA 01060More about Fall Open HouseAdd 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 for education in America#33 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#65 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#55 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#59 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#57 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#57 of 1,283
Show 19 more
- Best colleges for art and design in America#55 of 1,187
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#86 of 1,829
- Best colleges for history in America#60 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#60 of 1,215
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#34 of 682
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#60 of 1,162
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#36 of 690
- Best mid-size colleges in America#35 of 667
- Best colleges for music in America#56 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#60 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#44 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#44 of 749
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#30 of 430
- Best colleges for economics in America#60 of 788
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#68 of 704
- Most selective colleges in America#74 of 683
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#93 of 693
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#103 of 684
In Massachusetts
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Massachusetts#5 of 45
- Best colleges for education in Massachusetts#7 of 48
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Massachusetts#7 of 46
- Best test-optional colleges in Massachusetts#9 of 59
- Best colleges in Massachusetts#11 of 67
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Massachusetts#8 of 47
Show 19 more
- Best colleges for psychology in Massachusetts#9 of 51
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Massachusetts#7 of 38
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Massachusetts#9 of 47
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Massachusetts#9 of 47
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Massachusetts#13 of 67
- Best colleges for art and design in Massachusetts#9 of 44
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Massachusetts#10 of 47
- Best colleges for English in Massachusetts#10 of 46
- Best colleges for history in Massachusetts#10 of 46
- Best colleges for mathematics in Massachusetts#10 of 43
- Best mid-size colleges in Massachusetts#7 of 30
- Best value colleges in Massachusetts#11 of 46
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in Massachusetts#11 of 46
- Best colleges for computer science in Massachusetts#8 of 33
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Massachusetts#10 of 41
- Best colleges for chemistry in Massachusetts#10 of 40
- Best colleges for economics in Massachusetts#10 of 39
- Most selective colleges in Massachusetts#12 of 46
- 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.89%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,500 · ACT 33.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$31,466
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 paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $86,030 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
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) | 2,506 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 0% · Women 100% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 19% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 83% |
| Total students | 2,830 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $28,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $86,030 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $17,550 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 89% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 90% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 89% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 82% |
| First-year retention | 94% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,027 |
| Admission rate | 21% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,580 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 18% |
| Average SAT | 1500 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 720–760 |
| SAT math | 700–780 |
| ACT composite | 32–35 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 43% (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 |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Engineering (general) | |
| Political science | |
| Biology | |
| Sociology | |
| Romance languages | |
| English | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Area studies | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| History | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation, Architecture, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Classics, Computer science, Dance, Data Science, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Education (general), Engineering Science, Environmental Design, Film and video, Geology and earth science, German, Interdisciplinary studies, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Music, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Statistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Engineering |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $22,570 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 38%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 87%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $881,976IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 99% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Bradley International Airport (BDL)About 26 miles away · about 55 minutes by car |
| Town population | 30,962Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 83 miles away · about 2 hours 10 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 24°F in January · 72°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Amherst, MA, about 7 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is Smith College’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 Smith College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $28,000 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 Smith College?
- Smith College admitted 21% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Smith College’s graduates do?
- 89% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $64,027; the median federal debt at graduation is $17,550.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 167835
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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