Johns Hopkins: What the Numbers Actually Say
Hopkins is known for medicine and public health, which obscures the more useful fact for an applicant: it is one of the least expensive elite universities in the country once aid is applied. A family earning under thirty thousand dollars pays about four hundred a year, and the median graduate leaves with the lowest debt of any school profiled here. The reputation is research; the story for families is price.
Johns Hopkins admitted 6.1% of 50,259 applicants. The average net price after aid is $18,809, a family earning under $30,000 pays about $428, and the median graduate leaves owing $10,250 — lower than 96.6% of American colleges.
At a glance
| Johns Hopkins University | US median | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Baltimore, MD | |
| Undergraduates | 6,354 | |
| Acceptance rate | 6.1% | |
| Applicants / admits | 50,259 / 3,072 | |
| Middle 50% SAT | 1530–1580 | |
| Middle 50% ACT | 35–35 | |
| Student–faculty ratio | 9:1 | |
| Average net price after aid | $18,809 | $20,150 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs out | $87,555 | $53,038 |
| Median debt at graduation | $10,250 | $23,000 |
US medians are across every college reporting the figure to the College Scorecard — roughly 1,700 for net price and 1,800 for earnings.
Cost: among the cheapest elite universities after aid
The sticker is about $92,514; the average net price after grants is $18,809, which is lower than most of the schools Hopkins competes with. It meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average first-year grant of $69,291.
| Family income | Johns Hopkins University | US median |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $428 / year | $15,238 |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $4,179 / year | $17,510 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $14,591 / year | $21,308 |
| Over $110,000 | $37,774 / year | $25,893 |
Average net price actually paid by aided US students at each income level, from the College Scorecard. Sticker price is what almost nobody at these income levels pays.
The low-income row is the one to note — about $428 a year — and the debt outcome follows from it: 20% of students borrow and the median graduate owes $10,250, the lowest figure of any school profiled here.
Admissions: what Hopkins says it weighs
Hopkins drew 50,259 applications and admitted 3,072 — 6.1% — with 44.8% of admits enrolling. The early round is binding Early Decision.
| Application factor | Johns Hopkins University says | How common that is |
|---|---|---|
| Academic GPA | Very important | 91% of schools say the same |
| Application Essay | Very important | 34% of schools say the same |
| Character/personal qualities | Very important | 27% of schools say the same |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | only 18% of schools say the same |
| Recommendation(s) | Very important | 32% of schools say the same |
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important | 87% of schools say the same |
| Standardized test scores | Very important | 26% of schools say the same |
| Class rank | Important | 47% of schools say the same |
| Talent/ability | Important | only 24% of schools say the same |
| Alumni/ae relation | Considered | 40% of schools say the same |
| First generation | Considered | 65% of schools say the same |
| Interview | Considered | 41% of schools say the same |
| Level of applicant's interest | Considered | 45% of schools say the same |
| Volunteer work | Considered | 66% of schools say the same |
| Work experience | Considered | 69% of schools say the same |
| Geographical residence | Not considered | 62% of schools say the same |
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Not considered | 89% of schools say the same |
| State residency | Not considered | 57% of schools say the same |
The school’s own ratings from its Common Data Set filing, set against the 362 filings in our dataset. Bold rows are ratings fewer than a quarter of schools share — the places this school’s process is genuinely unusual. Declared weight is not submission policy; requirements change year to year and should be checked directly.
Extracurricular activities sit at the top of the scale, a rating only 18% of schools share. Demonstrated interest is considered rather than weighted heavily, and alumni relation sits low — Hopkins ended legacy preference, and its filing reflects a process that leans on the record rather than the relationship.
The admitted middle 50% runs 750–780 on SAT reading and 780–800 on maths — among the highest ranges profiled here — with an average high-school GPA of 3.93. 57% of enrolled first-years submitted a score.
Outcomes
Median earnings, 10 years after entry · US median $53,038
Earnings of students from the lowest-income third · US median $42,600
Average net price after aid · US median $20,150
Median debt at graduation · US median $23,000
Bar length is the share of US colleges this school beats on each measure; the tick marks the national median. Price and debt are inverted, so a longer bar is always the better outcome. Source: College Scorecard.
Median earnings reach $87,555 ten years after enrolling, and students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $106,100 a decade after they started. 97.8% of first-years return and 93.4% graduate within six years, across 6,354 undergraduates on a 9:1 student–faculty ratio.
Greek life takes in 25% of men and 21% of women, and 93% of first-years live on campus.
Frequently asked questions
What is Johns Hopkins’ acceptance rate?
6.1%. Hopkins received 50,259 applications and admitted 3,072 students; 44.8% of those admitted enrolled.
How much does Johns Hopkins actually cost?
Less than most of its peers: an average $18,809 a year after grants against a sticker of about $92,514. A family earning under $30,000 pays about $428, and Hopkins meets 100% of demonstrated need.
Do Johns Hopkins graduates leave with much debt?
The least of any school profiled here: a median $10,250, with only 20% of students borrowing at all.
What SAT scores do you need for Johns Hopkins?
The admitted middle 50% scored 750–780 on reading and 780–800 on maths — among the highest ranges profiled here — with an average high-school GPA of 3.93.
Does Johns Hopkins consider legacy?
Its filing rates alumni relation at the bottom of its scale, consistent with the university having publicly ended legacy preference. Extracurricular activities, by contrast, sit at the very top.
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