National university
#10 Best colleges in AmericaYale University
New Haven, CT · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $23,777 a year
Median debt at graduation: $12,975 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Engineering & Applied SciencesOctober 25, 2026 · 7:00 PM ET · VirtualMore about Engineering & Applied SciencesAdd 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 psychology in America#7 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#10 of 1,829
- Most selective colleges in America#4 of 683
- Best colleges for art and design in America#7 of 1,187
- Best test-optional colleges in America#9 of 1,481
- Best colleges for English in America#9 of 1,283
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- Best colleges for history in America#9 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#9 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#9 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#9 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#9 of 1,063
- Best colleges for engineering in America#8 of 749
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#4 of 367
- Best colleges for economics in America#9 of 788
- Best mid-size colleges in America#8 of 667
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#9 of 704
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#24 of 1,829
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#10 of 704
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#17 of 690
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#23 of 693
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#28 of 684
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#30 of 598
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in America#17 of 239
- Best value colleges in America#63 of 674
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#66 of 681
In Connecticut
- Best colleges in Connecticut#1 of 26
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Connecticut#1 of 26
- Best colleges for psychology in Connecticut#1 of 24
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Connecticut#1 of 22
- Best colleges for art and design in Connecticut#1 of 21
- Best colleges for English in Connecticut#1 of 21
Show 19 more
- Best colleges for mathematics in Connecticut#1 of 21
- Best colleges for history in Connecticut#1 of 20
- Best colleges for chemistry in Connecticut#1 of 19
- Best colleges for economics in Connecticut#1 of 18
- Best colleges for music in Connecticut#1 of 18
- Best test-optional colleges in Connecticut#1 of 18
- Best colleges for engineering in Connecticut#1 of 17
- Best mid-size colleges in Connecticut#1 of 14
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Connecticut#1 of 14
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Connecticut#1 of 14
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Connecticut#1 of 13
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Connecticut#1 of 13
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Connecticut#1 of 13
- Most selective colleges in Connecticut#1 of 13
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Connecticut#2 of 14
- Best value colleges in Connecticut#2 of 13
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in Connecticut#2 of 13
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Connecticut#2 of 13
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Connecticut#4 of 13
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.99%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,534 · ACT 34
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.5 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$80,541
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) | 6,818 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 49% · Women 51% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 25% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 93% |
| Total students | 15,081 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $23,777 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $88,300 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $12,975 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 96% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 91% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 86% |
| First-year retention | 99% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $100,533 |
| Admission rate | 4% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $80 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1534 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 730–780 |
| SAT math | 740–790 |
| ACT composite | 33–35 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 8% (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 | |
| Liberal arts | |
| History | |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | |
| Political science | |
| Area studies | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Psychology | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Applied mathematics, Archeology, Architecture, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning, Classics, Cognitive Science, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Electrical engineering, Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Film and video, Fine arts, Geology and earth science, German, Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Linguistics, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mechanical engineering, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other english language and literature/letters, Philosophy, Physical Sciences, Physics, Programming, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, 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 | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| History |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,900 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Ivy Group |
| ROTC | Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 5 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 75%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $2,727,185Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 82% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)About 4 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 134,3492020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New YorkAbout 69 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 31°F1991–2020 normal, from NEW HAVEN TWEED AP, CT US, about 4 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 74°F1991–2020 normal, from NEW HAVEN TWEED AP, CT US, about 4 miles away (NOAA) |
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 | 0.42 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.22 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 1.45 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1.12 | 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 Yale University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 1% 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 Yale University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $23,777 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 Yale University?
- Yale University admitted 4% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Yale University’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 $100,533; the median federal debt at graduation is $12,975.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 130794
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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