National university
#25 Best colleges for education in AmericaTufts University
Medford, MA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $39,998 a year
Median debt at graduation: $16,250 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Student Panel: The International Student ExperienceOctober 20, 2026 · 10:00–11:00 AM Eastern · VirtualJoin current international students to learn more about their experiences!More about Student Panel: The International Student ExperienceAdd to calendar
- Student Panel: Life in the School of Arts & SciencesOctober 20, 2026 · 7:00–8:00 PM Eastern · VirtualMore about Student Panel: Life in the School of Arts & SciencesAdd to calendar
- Jumbos Abroad: International Opportunities at TuftsOctober 21, 2026 · 7:00–8:00 PM Eastern · VirtualMore about Jumbos Abroad: International Opportunities at TuftsAdd to calendar
- Understanding Financial Aid at TuftsOctober 22, 2026 · 6:00–7:00 PM Eastern · VirtualTufts recognizes the importance of finances in the college decision process.More about Understanding Financial Aid at TuftsAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events (5 more) · 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#25 of 1,318
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#43 of 1,829
- Best colleges in America#50 of 1,829
- Best test-optional colleges in America#44 of 1,481
- Best colleges for psychology in America#44 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#45 of 1,358
Show 19 more
- Best colleges for English in America#46 of 1,283
- Best colleges for art and design in America#43 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#48 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#48 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#48 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#44 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#47 of 1,116
- Best mid-size colleges in America#30 of 667
- Best colleges for computer science in America#35 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#35 of 749
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#21 of 430
- Most selective colleges in America#38 of 683
- Best colleges for economics in America#48 of 788
- Best colleges in the Boston area#4 of 51
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#72 of 693
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#81 of 704
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#80 of 684
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#91 of 690
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#146 of 682
In Massachusetts
- Best test-optional colleges in Massachusetts#4 of 59
- Best colleges for education in Massachusetts#4 of 48
- Best colleges in Massachusetts#6 of 67
- Best colleges for psychology in Massachusetts#5 of 51
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Massachusetts#7 of 67
- Best colleges for art and design in Massachusetts#5 of 44
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Massachusetts#6 of 47
- Best colleges for English in Massachusetts#6 of 46
- Best colleges for history in Massachusetts#6 of 46
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Massachusetts#6 of 46
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Massachusetts#5 of 38
- Best colleges for engineering in Massachusetts#3 of 22
- Best colleges for mathematics in Massachusetts#6 of 43
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Massachusetts#6 of 41
- Best colleges for chemistry in Massachusetts#6 of 40
- Best colleges for computer science in Massachusetts#5 of 33
- Most selective colleges in Massachusetts#7 of 46
- Best colleges for economics in Massachusetts#6 of 39
- Best mid-size colleges in Massachusetts#5 of 30
- Best colleges for music in Massachusetts#6 of 31
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Massachusetts#9 of 46
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Massachusetts#11 of 47
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.96%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,513 · ACT 34
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.10 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$28,034
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: $88,300 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) | 6,877 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 15% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 74% |
| Total students | 13,274 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $39,998 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $88,300 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $16,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 94% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 86% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 85% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 91% |
| First-year retention | 96% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $83,214 |
| Admission rate | 11% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $75 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 12% |
| Average SAT | 1513 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 720–770 |
| SAT math | 750–790 |
| ACT composite | 33–35 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (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 |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Cognitive Science | |
| Economics | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Political science | |
| International relations | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Biology | |
| Public health | |
| Romance languages | |
| English | |
| Area studies | |
| History | |
| Sociology | |
| Film and video | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Applied mathematics, Archeology, Architectural Engineering, Architecture, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Biopsychology, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Classics, Clinical and counseling psychology, Computational Science, Computer engineering, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Education (general), Electrical engineering, Engineering (general), Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and human development, Geology and earth science, German, Human Computer Interaction, Interdisciplinary studies, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Nutrition Sciences, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Science, Technology and Society, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Engineering | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Biology | |
| Computer and information sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $18,588 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · New England Small College Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 15%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 64%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $193,058IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 61% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)About 6 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Town population | 59,354Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 7 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 30°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Boston Logan International Airport, MA, about 6 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 | 0.10 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.13 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.10 | 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 Tufts University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 3% 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 Tufts University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $39,998 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 Tufts University?
- Tufts University admitted 11% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Tufts University’s graduates do?
- 94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $83,214; the median federal debt at graduation is $16,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 168148
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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