Liberal arts college
#4 Best colleges in GeorgiaSpelman College
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $38,967 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,000 (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
- Best colleges for education in America#87 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#156 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#126 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#137 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#129 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#126 of 1,283
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for history in America#129 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#125 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#131 of 1,215
- Best mid-size colleges in America#73 of 667
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#130 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#129 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#125 of 1,063
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#223 of 1,829
- Most selective colleges in America#85 of 683
- Best colleges for engineering in America#100 of 749
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#97 of 693
- Best colleges for economics in America#127 of 788
In Georgia
- Best test-optional colleges in Georgia#2 of 42
- Best colleges in Georgia#4 of 60
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Georgia#4 of 60
- Best colleges for education in Georgia#3 of 43
- Best mid-size colleges in Georgia#2 of 28
- Best colleges for English in Georgia#3 of 41
Show 14 more
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Georgia#4 of 49
- Best colleges for psychology in Georgia#4 of 46
- Best colleges for music in Georgia#3 of 33
- Best colleges for history in Georgia#4 of 43
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Georgia#3 of 31
- Best colleges for mathematics in Georgia#4 of 37
- Best colleges for chemistry in Georgia#4 of 33
- Best colleges for art and design in Georgia#4 of 32
- Best colleges for engineering in Georgia#3 of 12
- Best colleges for economics in Georgia#4 of 15
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Georgia#3 of 9
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Georgia#3 of 9
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Georgia#3 of 9
- Most selective colleges in Georgia#3 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- 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 1,220 · ACT 25.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$15,850
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: $50,952 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) | 3,633 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 5% · Women 95% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 21% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 79% |
| Total students | 3,633 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $38,967 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $50,952 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 78% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 64% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 62% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 42% |
| First-year retention | 94% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,993 |
| Admission rate | 25% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $40 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,660 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 28% |
| Average SAT | 1220 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 590–680 |
| SAT math | 518–640 |
| ACT composite | 22–29 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | |
| Economics | |
| Political science | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Health sciences | |
| Global studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Teacher education | |
| Biology | |
| Ethnic and gender studies |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computing and information science, Dance, Education (general), Engineering (general), Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Film and video, Fine arts, History, Human services, Interdisciplinary studies, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology and Anthropology, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology | |
| Health professions | |
| Interdisciplinary studies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 22% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 25% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $18,091 |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 16%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 70%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $173,347IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 38% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)About 8 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Town population | 505,268Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | AtlantaIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 44°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Atlanta Fulton Co Airport, GA, about 7 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 1.17 | 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 Spelman College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 9% 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 Spelman College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $38,967 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 Spelman College?
- Spelman College admitted 25% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Spelman College’s graduates do?
- 78% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $59,993; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 141060
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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