Hampshire College
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. earnings-to-debt ratio is tight. generous financial aid cuts net price well below sticker.
About This School
Hampshire College is a private nonprofit institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts with approximately 839 undergraduate students enrolled. Hampshire College has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 75%. The average net price after financial aid is $24,034 per year. The graduation rate is 54%, and the typical graduate earns $39,900 within 10 years of enrollment.
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Together they are known as the Five College Consortium. The campus also houses the National Yiddish Book Center and Eric Carle Museum, and hosts the annual Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: a 57% graduation rate and median earnings of just $39,900 a decade out raise real questions about return on investment, especially for students who aren't self-directed learners thriving in a no-grades, design-your-own-major environment. That said, the average net price of $25,810 and access to the Five College Consortium — meaning you can take classes at Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and UMass — add genuine value. Worth considering only if a student is deeply motivated, comfortable with an unconventional academic structure, and has a clear sense of how they'll use the freedom Hampshire offers.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 5% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Worth scrutinizing. Median earnings relative to debt are tight.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (839 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · Public
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, MA · Public
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA · Public
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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