Dartmouth vs Brandeis - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Dartmouth admits 6%, Brandeis admits 40.5%.
Average aid for an international student is $87,562 (Dartmouth) and $56,730 (Brandeis).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Dartmouth starts at $96,098 against $93,441 and ends at $20,797 against $35,934 (Brandeis).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Dartmouth: $97K against $77K.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Dartmouth is the more selective of the two (6.02% vs 40.47% acceptance). Dartmouth graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($97K vs $77K). Brandeis has lower sticker-price tuition ($70,957 vs $71,525 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Dartmouth for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Brandeis for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dartmouth is more selective (6.02% vs 40.47% acceptance); Dartmouth has a higher median SAT (1520 vs 1460).
Dartmouth graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($97K vs $77K); Dartmouth has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.5% vs 86%).
Brandeis has lower sticker-price tuition ($70,957 vs $71,525); Dartmouth offers a larger average aid package ($75,301 vs $57,507).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Dartmouth | Brandeis |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 6.02% | 40.47% |
| Yield rate | 70.9% | 17.5% |
| Median SAT | 1520 | 1460 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.90 |
| Number of applications | 28,230 | 10,462 |
| International students | 14.5% | 19.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $97K | $77K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $65K | $52K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $189K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 95.5% | 86% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 87% |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $25,648 |
| Tuition · year | $71,525 | $70,957 |
| Avg. aid package | $75,301 | $57,507 |
| % of need met | 100% | 94.5% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $24,255 | $27,004 |
| Application fee | - | $80 |
| Enrollment | 7,273 | 5,205 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Dartmouth or Brandeis?
It's harder to get into Dartmouth. Dartmouth accepts 6.02% of applicants, while Brandeis accepts 40.47%.
Do Dartmouth or Brandeis graduates earn more?
Dartmouth graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $97K vs $77K.
How much is tuition at Dartmouth vs Brandeis?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,525 per year at Dartmouth and $70,957 per year at Brandeis.
What SAT score do you need for Dartmouth or Brandeis?
The median admitted SAT score is 1520 at Dartmouth and 1460 at Brandeis; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Dartmouth or Brandeis?
The average aid package is $75,301 at Dartmouth and $57,507 at Brandeis.
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