Stanford vs Vanderbilt
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Stanford UniversityStanford, CACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 1%A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TNCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 1%
At a glance
- For families earning up to $30,000, Stanford has the lower price after aid: $0 or less a year, against $3,414 at Vanderbilt.
- Stanford has the lower average price after aid: $13,807 a year, against $15,846 at Vanderbilt.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Stanford: $124,080, against $91,565 at Vanderbilt.
Scores
Compass Score
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
Value
A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 2%
The college
Category
National universities
National universities
Location
Stanford, CA
Nashville, TN
Setting
Suburb
City
Students
18,446
13,456
Sports
NCAA Division I · Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA Division I · Southeastern Conference
Admission
Admission rate
4%
6%
Average SAT
1553
1549
ACT middle 50%
34–35
34–35
Outcomes
Graduation rate
92%
94%
First-year retention
98%
96%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$124,080
$91,565
Median debt
$12,000
$14,000
Cost
Average price after aid
$13,807
$15,846
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$0 or less
$3,414
$30,001–$48,000
$0 or less
$1,876
$48,001–$75,000
$3,212
$4,498
$75,001–$110,000
$11,092
$12,153
Over $110,000
$53,882
$45,145
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $214,907
- Cognitive Science $131,650
- Mechanical engineering $117,072
- Other engineering $115,206
- Economics $112,700
- Computer science $160,021
- Mathematics $141,171
- Economics $140,337
- Chemical Engineering $121,641
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering $116,662
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.