What makes Vassar different
- An open curriculum. No core classes or distribution requirements, and more than 1,000 courses.
- Residential houses. Students of all four years live together in nine historic houses.
- A 1,000-acre campus. An arboretum, a 400-acre ecological preserve and an art center.
What Vassar students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): economics (43), biochemistry (40), biology (36), computer and information sciences (35), psychology (35) and mathematics (34). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at Vassar if…
- You want freedom to choose your courses.
- You're drawn to the arts, film, psychology or the sciences.
- You'd like a beautiful campus within reach of New York.
Worth asking about
- How do students choose correlates (minors)?
- What is the Independent Program?
How Vassar compares with other liberal arts colleges
Vassar admitted 18.6% of applicants for fall 2024 and is one of the Seven Sisters colleges in this group, now coeducational. See how these 20 liberal arts colleges compare.
FAQ
What is Vassar College's acceptance rate? 18.6% for fall 2024: 2,311 of 12,447 applicants were admitted.
Does Vassar have early decision? Yes. Vassar offers binding early decision; early decision applicants sign an agreement with their application. Source
Does Vassar require the SAT or ACT? No. Vassar made its test-optional policy permanent. This applies to students applying in 2026–27 for fall 2027. Source
Does Vassar charge out-of-state tuition? No. Vassar is private, so published tuition and fees are the same for students from any state: $71,030 a year before aid. About 63% of first-year students came from outside New York.
How much is Vassar tuition per semester? About $35,515 a semester, half the published $71,030 a year, before aid.
How many students go to Vassar? About 2,400 undergraduates (fall 2024).
What is Vassar known for? Its open curriculum, the arts and its Hudson Valley campus.
How much does Vassar cost? Published tuition and fees are $71,030 a year before aid, and the total cost of attendance is $87,419. Students who received aid paid $35,701 a year on average.
Wondering if an open curriculum fits you?
Lens's assessments show whether you lean toward structure or flexibility, and which kinds of colleges fit. Start with Lens →