Oberlin CollegeOberlin College
Oberlin, OH · Midwest
Oberlin College has an acceptance rate of 34.2% and a middle-50% SAT range of 1360-1520. The numbers below show who gets in and what it costs.
- Acceptance rate
- 34.2%
- SAT mid-50
- 1360-1520
- Cost after aid
- $38,645
- Graduation rate
- 81%
Application deadlines
Official 2026-2027 cycle deadlines for Oberlin College.
| Plan | Deadline |
|---|---|
Early Decision I | Nov 1, 2026 |
Early Decision II | Jan 5, 2027 |
Early Action | Nov 1, 2026 |
Regular Decision | Jan 15, 2027 |
What Oberlin College says matters
How Oberlin College rates each admissions factor in its Common Data Set, with the full published numbers below.
- Acceptance rate
- 34%
- 3,597 of 10,529
- SAT mid-50
- 1370-1500
- CDS year
- 2024-25
The full Common Data Set
Every figure Oberlin College published for 2024-25, section by section.
First-Time, First-Year Admission53
Applications
- Total first-time, first-year students who applied
- 10,529
- Total first-time, first-year students who were admitted
- 3,597
- Total first-time, first-year who applied
- 674
- Total first-time, first-year who were admitted
- 200
- Total first-time, first-year who applied
- 6,265
- Total first-time, first-year who were admitted
- 3,008
- Total first-time, first-year who applied
- 3,590
- Total first-time, first-year who were admitted
- 389
Admissions Requirements
- Total academic units
- 20.0
- English
- 4.0
- Mathematics
- 4.0
- Science
- 3.0
- Foreign language
- 3.0
- Social studies
- 3.0
First-time, first-year Profile
- Submitting SAT Scores
- 0.31
- Submitting SAT Scores
- 221
- SAT Composite: 25th Percentile
- 1,370
- SAT Composite: 50th Percentile
- 1,440
- SAT Composite: 75th Percentile
- 1,500
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 25th Percentile
- 700
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 50th Percentile
- 740
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 75th Percentile
- 760
- SAT Math: 25th Percentile
- 660
- SAT Math: 50th Percentile
- 710
- SAT Math: 75th Percentile
- 760
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 700-800
- 80
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 600-699
- 19
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 500-599
- 1
- SAT Math: 700-800
- 58
- SAT Math: 600-699
- 37
- SAT Math: 500-599
- 5
- SAT Composite: 1400-1600
- 70
- SAT Composite: 1200-1399
- 29
- SAT Composite: 1000-1199
- 1
- SAT Composite: 400-599
- 100
- ACT Composite: 30-36
- 89
- ACT Composite: 24-29
- 10
- ACT Composite: 18-23
- 1
- ACT Composite: Below 6
- 100
- Percent who had GPA below 1.0
- 89%
- Percent who had GPA below 1.0
- 11%
- Percent who had GPA of 4.0
- 11%
- Percent who had GPA between 3.75 and 3.99
- 42%
- Percent who had GPA between 3.50 and 3.74
- 25%
- Percent who had GPA between 3.25 and 3.49
- 14%
- Percent who had GPA between 3.00 and 3.24
- 6.0%
- Percent who had GPA between 2.50 and 2.99
- 2.0%
- Percent who had GPA between 2.0 and 2.49
- 0
- Percent who had GPA between 1.0 and 1.99
- 0
- Percent who had GPA below 1.0
- 0
- Percent of total first-time, first-year students who submitted high school GPA:
- 89%
Admission Policies
- Application closing date (fall)
- 1
- Priority Date
- 15
Transfer Admission7
Application for Admission
- Interview
- Not Required
- Standardized test scores
- Not Required
- List any other application requirements specific to transfer applicants:
- ##
- Fall
- 1
- Winter
- 15
- Fall
- 11
- Winter
- 15
Annual Expenses10
Private Tuition
- Tuition
- 68340.00
- Tuition
- 68340.00
All Institutions Expenses
- Required Fees:
- 1092.00
- Food and housing (on-campus):
- 20096.00
- Housing Only (on-campus):
- 9970.00
- Food Only (on-campus meal plan):
- 10126.00
- Required Fees:
- 1092.00
- Food and housing (on-campus):
- 20096.00
- Housing Only (on-campus):
- 9970.00
- Food Only (on-campus meal plan):
- 10126.00
Financial Aid10
Students Awarded Non-need-based Aid
- N. Number of students in line a who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid (exclude those who were awarded athletic awards and tuition benefits)
- 315
- O. Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based scholarship and grant aid awarded to students in line n
- 25,820
- Q. Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based athletic scholarships and grants awarded to students in line p
- 0
- N. Number of students in line a who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid (exclude those who were awarded athletic awards and tuition benefits)
- 1,086
- O. Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based scholarship and grant aid awarded to students in line n
- 22,568
- Q. Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based athletic scholarships and grants awarded to students in line p
- 0
Methodology
- Both FM and IM
- 2580710.00
Need-based Aid Awarded
- Federal
- 230600.00
- Athletic Awards
- 0.00
Non-need-based Aid Awarded
- Federal
- 0.00
Disciplinary Areas of Degrees Conferred5
Bachelors
- Communication/journalism
- 9
- Computer and information sciences
- 3.9
- Science technologies
- 3
- Social sciences
- 11.4
- History
- 5
Enrollment And Persistence9
Institutional Enrollment
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: men
- 279
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: women
- 10
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: another gender
- 881
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: unknown
- 1,170
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: women
- 417
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: another gender
- 18
- Degree-seeking, first-time first-year students: unknown
- 1,259
- Other first-year, degree-seeking: men
- 1,694
- Total undergraduate students: another gender
- 5
Instructional Faculty And Class Size1
Undergraduate Class Size
- 20-29
- 420
Essays
- Oberlin College supplemental essays: the 2025-26 prompts and word limits.
- Grade your draft free with Kolly's college essay grader, scored against accepted essays.
About Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a very small private university in Oberlin, OH, in a city setting.
What Oberlin College looks for
With an acceptance rate around 34%, the application readers spend less time per file than they do at the most selective schools, but they still read. A solid GPA, strong letters, and an essay that sounds like you wrote it yourself go a long way here. The biggest unforced error: a generic supplement essay. Even moderately selective schools notice when you have not bothered to learn anything about them.
Frequently asked
What SAT score do I need for Oberlin College?
Oberlin College's middle 50% SAT range is 1360 to 1520. A score in or above that band keeps you in the conversation; below it, the rest of your application has to do more work.
What ACT score do I need for Oberlin College?
Middle 50% ACT range is 31 to 34. The top of that range or above is what most admitted students submit when they choose to send a score.
What is the acceptance rate at Oberlin College?
Oberlin College admits roughly 34% of applicants. Selective, but stats inside the middle 50% put you in real contention.
What does Oberlin College actually cost after financial aid?
Average net cost (after institutional aid) is about $38,645 per year. Net cost varies enormously by family income; run the school's net price calculator for an estimate that reflects your situation.
Is Oberlin College a reach, match, or safety for me?
Compare your stats to the middle 50% above. If you are at or below the 25th percentile, treat Oberlin College as a reach. If you are in the middle 50%, it is a match. Above the 75th percentile and the school accepts above 25% overall, it is closer to a safety. Selectivity below 20% should be treated as a reach for everyone, period.
