Vassar College New York

Vassar College is a highly selective private liberal arts college in suburban Poughkeepsie, New York, with about 2,500 students and a strong commitment to need-blind admissions.

College statistics

Address:
124 Raymond Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY
12604
Sector Group:
Private Not-for-Profit 4-Year or Above
Official Website:
www.vassar.edu/
Setting:
Suburb
Research Activity Tier:
Research Colleges and Universities
Economic Mobility Index:
Lower Access, Medium Earnings
Primary Undergraduate Major:
Social Sciences

Vassar is a private liberal arts college that draws intellectually ambitious students from across the country and around the world. The campus sits in a suburban setting in Poughkeepsie, about 90 minutes north of New York City, and the college has built its reputation on rigorous academics, a collaborative (not cutthroat) culture, and genuine commitment to making education accessible regardless of family income.

The college enrolls 2,456 students and costs $87,470 per year total (tuition, room, and board combined). That's steep, but Vassar meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students and practices need-blind admissions, meaning your ability to pay doesn't affect whether you get in. The school has an endowment of about $108 million, which helps fund generous aid packages.

Vassar is genuinely hard to get into—the acceptance rate is 17.7%—and admitted students typically score in the 770–780 range on the SAT (math and reading) or a 35 on the ACT. About 89% of students graduate within six years. This is a school for students who love learning for its own sake, want small classes and close faculty relationships, and are looking for a tight-knit residential community with real intellectual energy.