# Oberlin College

Private nonprofit college in Oberlin, OH. IPEDS ID 204501.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/oberlin-college · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/oberlin-college.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 34% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $38,645 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 81%; beats 97% of OH colleges and 90% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $58,343; beats 79% of OH colleges and 65% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $19,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $18,774 |
| 30-48k | $15,799 |
| 48-75k | $22,123 |
| 75-110k | $29,207 |
| 110k+ | $48,731 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.24 years on average (63% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $58,343 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $18,774 | $79,602 | 3.5 years |
| 30-48k | $15,799 | $66,988 | 2.9 years |
| 48-75k | $22,123 | $93,802 | 4.1 years |
| 75-110k | $29,207 | $123,838 | 5.4 years |
| 110k+ | $48,731 | $206,619 | 9.0 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $87,404
- Tuition and fees: $67,366
- Housing and meals: $18,942; books: $1,908

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 700–760; SAT math: 660–760; ACT: 31–34 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 11,039 applicants, 3,641 admitted, 779 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 34%, ACT 31–34 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 33%, ACT 30–33 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, class rank, gpa; important: essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, talent, character; considered: interview, first generation, alumni relation, volunteer, work experience, interest
- Early decision: yes (263 of 668 admitted); early action: yes; waitlist: yes (33 admitted of 460 who accepted a spot)
- Average high school GPA of enrolled first-years: 3.6
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 100% of need met; 468 of 468 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 300 students, average $29,230
- Source: https://www.oberlin.edu/media/37695/download?inline

## Majors (36 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | not reported | $129,395 | $26,500 |
| Economics | $61,713 | $87,120 | $25,000 |
| Political Science | $30,187 | $70,689 | $24,314 |
| History | not reported | $60,895 | $26,050 |
| Area Studies | $20,905 | $55,151 | $24,951 |
| English | $19,734 | $49,906 | $26,000 |
| Psychology | $18,193 | $48,109 | $26,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | $46,580 | $23,250 |
| Studio Art | not reported | $44,299 | $20,500 |
| Biology | $22,684 | $44,095 | $23,250 |
| Music | $17,141 | $43,343 | $26,200 |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Writing | $15,501 | not reported | $26,487 |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Neuroscience | $34,593 | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | $22,625 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Anthropology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Archeology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dance | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | $12,441 | not reported | not reported |
| Film and Photography | $23,519 | not reported | $25,500 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Computer and Information Sciences → Software developer: median wage $111,310 (Cleveland, OH), $114,090 (OH), $135,980 (U.S.)
- Biology → Biological technician: median wage $52,690 (Cleveland, OH), $51,080 (OH), $57,510 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).