Amherst College Acceptance Rate
Amherst, Massachusetts · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 12,727
- Admitted
- 1,250
- Yield
- 39%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Amherst College's acceptance rate has fallen from 13.8% in 2014–15 to 9.8% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 8,477 to 12,727 (+50%) over that period.
Its 9.8% rate makes Amherst College more selective than about 98% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 61 tracked Massachusetts schools, it is more selective than about 93%.
Amherst College has been test-optional since 2020–21. Of admitted students, 39% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 8,477 | 1,173 | 13.8% | 469 |
| 2015–16 | 8,568 | 1,210 | 14.1% | 477 |
| 2016–17 | 8,396 | 1,149 | 13.7% | 471 |
| 2017–18 | 9,285 | 1,198 | 12.9% | 471 |
| 2018–19 | 9,723 | 1,246 | 12.8% | 492 |
| 2019–20 | 10,569 | 1,195 | 11.3% | 470 |
| 2020–21 | 10,603 | 1,254 | 11.8% | 434 |
| 2021–22 | 13,999 | 1,224 | 8.7% | 515 |
| 2022–23 | 14,864 | 1,079 | 7.3% | 467 |
| 2023–24 | 12,727 | 1,250 | 9.8% | 488 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 5,793 | 597 | 10.3% |
| Men | 4,935 | 493 | 10% |
| Another gender | 807 | 58 | 7.2% |
| Unknown | 1,192 | 102 | 8.6% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 690–770 | 38% |
| SAT Math | 670–780 | |
| ACT Composite | 31–35 | 17% |
How Amherst College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Amherst College's acceptance rate?
Amherst College's acceptance rate is 9.8% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (1,250 admitted of 12,727 applicants).
Is Amherst College test optional?
Amherst College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Amherst College?
Amherst College received 12,727 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 1,250.
What SAT score do you need for Amherst College?
Admitted students at Amherst College typically scored 690–770 on SAT Reading/Writing and 670–780 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Amherst College getting harder to get into?
Amherst College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 13.8% in 2014–15 to 9.8% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.amherst.edu/.