Vanderbilt: What the Numbers Actually Say
Vanderbilt charges one of the highest sticker prices in the country and delivers one of the lowest actual ones — a gap of more than eighty thousand dollars between the number on the website and the number the average family pays. Add a Greek scene that takes in roughly three students in ten and you have a school that is far more affordable, and far more social, than its reputation as a Southern Ivy suggests.
Vanderbilt admitted 5.4% of 48,196 applicants. The sticker is about $97,908, but the average net price after aid is $15,846 — cheaper than 68.8% of American colleges — and 31.6% of women join a sorority.
At a glance
| Vanderbilt University | US median | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Nashville, TN | |
| Undergraduates | 7,366 | |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | |
| Applicants / admits | 48,196 / 2,593 | |
| Middle 50% SAT | 1510–1560 | |
| Middle 50% ACT | 34–35 | |
| Student–faculty ratio | 8:1 | |
| Average net price after aid | $15,846 | $20,150 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs out | $91,565 | $53,038 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,000 | $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: the widest sticker-to-real gap on this site
The published cost of attendance is about $97,908. The average student pays $15,846. Vanderbilt meets 100% of demonstrated need, and its average first-year grant of $77,563 is among the largest anywhere.
| Family income | Vanderbilt University | US median |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $3,414 / year | $15,238 |
| $30,000 – $48,000 | $1,876 / year | $15,431 |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $4,498 / year | $17,510 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $12,153 / year | $21,308 |
| Over $110,000 | $45,145 / 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.
Only 18.8% of students borrow, and the median graduate leaves owing $14,000. If the sticker price is what has kept Vanderbilt off your list, the aid tables are the reason to put it back on.
Admissions: what Vanderbilt says it weighs
Vanderbilt drew 48,196 applications and admitted 2,593 — 5.4% — with 63% of admits enrolling. The early round is binding Early Decision.
| Application factor | Vanderbilt 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 |
| Class rank | Very important | only 17% of schools say the same |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | only 18% of schools say the same |
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important | 87% of schools say the same |
| Recommendation(s) | Important | 28% of schools say the same |
| Standardized test scores | Important | 37% 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 |
| Geographical residence | Considered | 34% of schools say the same |
| Interview | Considered | 41% of schools say the same |
| State residency | Considered | 34% of schools say the same |
| Volunteer work | Considered | 66% of schools say the same |
| Work experience | Considered | 69% of schools say the same |
| Level of applicant's interest | Not considered | 38% of schools say the same |
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Not considered | 89% 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.
Two things to plan around. Vanderbilt rates class rank very important, which only 17% of schools do — so a strong rank at a ranking school works hard here. And it does not consider demonstrated interest at all: no visit, email or information session changes the file, so put that effort into the application itself.
The admitted middle 50% runs 740–770 on SAT reading and 770–790 on maths, and the average high-school GPA is 3.895. Just 24% of enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score — one of the lowest shares profiled here, so the ranges describe a minority of the class.
Campus
27.4% of Vanderbilt men join a fraternity and 31.6% of women join a sorority — close to a third of the student body, which shapes housing and social life well beyond its members. 100% of first-years live on campus, on a 8:1 student–faculty ratio with 57.5% of course sections under 20 students.
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 $91,565 ten years after enrolling, and students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $84,800 a decade after they started. 97% of first-years return and 92.6% graduate within six years.
How Vanderbilt University compares
Frequently asked questions
What is Vanderbilt’s acceptance rate?
5.4%. Vanderbilt received 48,196 applications and admitted 2,593 students; 63% of those admitted enrolled.
How much does Vanderbilt actually cost?
Far less than the sticker suggests: an average $15,846 a year after grants, against a published cost of about $97,908. A family earning $75,000–$110,000 typically pays $12,153, and Vanderbilt meets 100% of demonstrated need.
How big is Greek life at Vanderbilt?
Large: 27.4% of men join fraternities and 31.6% of women join sororities — roughly three students in ten, enough to shape the social calendar for everyone.
Does demonstrated interest matter at Vanderbilt?
No — Vanderbilt reports that it does not consider an applicant’s level of interest at all. Campus visits and contact have no effect on your file; class rank, by contrast, is rated very important.
What SAT scores do you need for Vanderbilt?
The admitted middle 50% scored 740–770 on reading and 770–790 on maths, with an average high-school GPA of 3.895. Only 24% of enrolled first-years submitted a score.
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