Location
- Bowdoin College
- Brunswick, ME
- Vanderbilt University
- Nashville, TN
Bowdoin College vs Vanderbilt University
Brunswick, ME · Nashville, TN · largest Scorecard gap: median debt at graduation
Scorecard match plate
Pair ME:TN
PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-DEBT
- PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
- CROSS-STATE ME × TN
- ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
- NET-SPLIT Net-price split
- EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
- DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
- COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
- GAP-DEBT Largest gap · Median Debt at Graduation
Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.
Decade path · College Scorecard
Net-price paths do not share a shape
NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023
One school has a directional average-net-price path over 2013–2023; the other sits in a measured range (or the two move opposite ways). Cost gaps on this board are moving targets.
- Bowdoin College: net price ranged $16,925–$22,840 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change +11.7% is not a trend (r² 0.01).
- Vanderbilt University: average net price rose +9.8% from $17,340 (2013) to $19,040 (2023), r² 0.57.
- Bowdoin College: acceptance rate tightened -46.4% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.87).
- Vanderbilt University: acceptance rate tightened -50.7% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.81).
College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.
Scorecard metrics
Undergraduate Enrollment
- Bowdoin College
- 1,873
- Vanderbilt University
- 7,208
Median Debt at Graduation
- Bowdoin College
- $18,500
- Vanderbilt University
- $14,000
Acceptance Rate
- Bowdoin College
- 7.1%
Median Earnings (6 yr)
- Bowdoin College
- $61,692
- Vanderbilt University
- $73,909
Median Earnings (10 yr)
- Bowdoin College
- $82,735
- Vanderbilt University
- $91,565
Avg Net Price
- Bowdoin College
- $14,398
- Vanderbilt University
- $15,846
150%-Time Completion
- Bowdoin College
- 95.4%
- Vanderbilt University
- 93.1%
SAT Average
- Bowdoin College
- 1,520
- Vanderbilt University
- 1,549
Retention Rate
- Bowdoin College
- 96.8%
- Vanderbilt University
- 96.3%
Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.
| Metric | Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Brunswick, ME | Nashville, TN |
| Undergraduate Enrollment | 1,873 | 7,208 |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $18,500 | $14,000 |
| Acceptance Rate | 7.1% | 5.9% |
| Median Earnings (6 yr) | $61,692 | $73,909 |
| Median Earnings (10 yr) | $82,735 | $91,565 |
| Avg Net Price | $14,398 | $15,846 |
| 150%-Time Completion | 95.4% | 93.1% |
| SAT Average | 1,520 | 1,549 |
| Retention Rate | 96.8% | 96.3% |
Largest gaps: Bowdoin College vs Vanderbilt University
- MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Vanderbilt University leads on median debt at graduation ($14,000 vs $18,500 at Bowdoin College)
- ACCEPTANCE-RATE Vanderbilt University leads on acceptance rate (5.9% vs 7.1% at Bowdoin College)
- MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Vanderbilt University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($73,909 vs $61,692 at Bowdoin College)
Bowdoin College profile · Vanderbilt University profile · Compare other colleges
Median Debt at Graduation and other Scorecard questions
On median debt at graduation, who leads between Bowdoin College and Vanderbilt University?▼
Vanderbilt University leads on median debt at graduation at $14,000 versus $18,500 at Bowdoin College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On acceptance rate, who leads between Bowdoin College and Vanderbilt University?▼
Vanderbilt University leads on acceptance rate at 5.9% versus 7.1% at Bowdoin College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Bowdoin College and Vanderbilt University?▼
Vanderbilt University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $73,909 versus $61,692 at Bowdoin College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); median debt at graduation focus for this pair · 2025