Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Private Nonprofit City: Small

Brandeis University is a private nonprofit institution in Waltham, Massachusetts enrolling 3,618 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. The acceptance rate is 40.5% with an average SAT of 1,462. Graduates earn a median of $77,231 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $35,736. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Brandeis University

Brandeis University operates as a private nonprofit institution located in Waltham, Massachusetts (city: small), with a total reported enrollment of 3,618 students of which 3,942 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. Brandeis University is categorized as “15” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. The reported admission rate is 40.5%, drawn from the most recent IPEDS Fall enrollment survey, with an average SAT of 1,462 and an ACT midpoint of 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $35,736, with published in-state tuition of $68,080 and a Pell grant recipient share of 15.0%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $25,648, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 86.1%, and the first-year retention rate is 87.0%. Graduates earn a median of $77,231 ten years after enrolling, compared with $52,967 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 104500.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 73.2% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

3,618
Total enrollment
40.5%
Acceptance rate
1,462
SAT average
86.1%
4-yr graduation rate
$77,231
10-yr median earnings
87.0%
First-year retention

Admissions

Admission Rate 40.5%
SAT Average 1,462
SAT Math (25th-75th) 700 – 770
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 690 – 750
ACT Average 33
ACT (25th-75th) 31 – 34

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $68,080
Out-of-State Tuition $68,080
Average Net Price $35,736

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $13,363
$30,001 – $48,000 $15,135
$48,001 – $75,000 $20,536
Over $110,000 $54,885
15.0%
Pell Grant Rate
28.2%
Federal Loan Rate
$25,648
Median Debt
$272/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 41.4%
African American 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Asian 17.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.3%
International 19.3%
60.3%
Female
16.3%
First Generation

Outcomes

86.1%
4-Year Completion Rate
87.0%
Retention Rate
$52,967
Median Earnings (6yr)
$77,231
Median Earnings (10yr)
73.2%
Earning Over $25K
104500.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Computer and Information Sciences, General Master's 17 $159,137
Computer Science Bachelor's 99 $123,460 $26,142
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Master's 70 $122,038
Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's 127 $108,405 $26,000
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 108 $102,843 $48,240
Economics Bachelor's 125 $95,872 $25,295
Computer Science Master's 28 $94,408
Economics Master's 64 $87,354 $28,500
Mathematics Bachelor's 21 $85,681 $26,559
Public Policy Analysis Master's 96 $79,908 $41,000
International Business Master's 15 $79,450
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Bachelor's 15 $78,746
Public Policy Analysis Bachelor's 111 $75,580 $25,000
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 61 $74,018 $23,333
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's 24 $73,936
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Bachelor's 19 $73,256 $24,226
Neurobiology and Neurosciences Bachelor's 60 $68,179 $26,000
Research and Experimental Psychology Bachelor's 114 $67,838 $26,787
International/Globalization Studies Bachelor's 50 $66,366 $25,694
Sociology Bachelor's 40 $65,481 $27,000
English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's 25 $62,291 $26,000
History Bachelor's 38 $59,426 $23,250
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's 6 $58,676
Biology, General Bachelor's 154 $58,384 $25,484
Anthropology Bachelor's 22 $57,423 $26,000
Community Organization and Advocacy Master's 39 $57,318
Area Studies Bachelor's 40 $54,306 $26,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Master's 19 $51,106
Area Studies Master's 1 $47,260
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Master's 15 $40,467
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Bachelor's 11 $40,368
Education, General Bachelor's 17 $39,009
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's 10 $37,568
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's 16 $37,208 $27,000
Chemistry Bachelor's 20 $36,774 $25,484
Fine and Studio Arts Bachelor's 14 $36,141
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's 14 $28,960
Philosophy Bachelor's 28 $28,598

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Brandeis University?
Brandeis University is a private nonprofit institution in Waltham, Massachusetts. The acceptance rate is 40.5%. The average SAT score is 1,462. Total enrollment is 3,618 students.
How much do Brandeis University graduates earn?
Graduates of Brandeis University earn a median of $77,231 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $52,967.
How much does Brandeis University cost?
The average net price at Brandeis University is $35,736. In-state tuition is $68,080 and out-of-state tuition is $68,080. Median student debt at graduation is $25,648.
What is the graduation rate at Brandeis University?
Brandeis University has a 4-year completion rate of 86.1%. The first-year retention rate is 87.0%.
Is Brandeis University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Brandeis University is $25,648, while graduates earn a median of $77,231 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 33% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 104500.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $272.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.