Bennington College

Bennington, VT · Private

Official website

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Admission rate

Bennington College admitted 44.5% of applicants university-wide (1,334 of 2,996).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide44.5%1,3342,996
In-state81.0%3442
Out-of-state78.1%1,1881,521
International applicants7.8%1121,433
Early Decision (binding)14.5%26179
Men24.1%2711,125
Women56.7%1,0511,854

Early Decision applicants were admitted at 14.5%, vs 44.5% overall — ED is a binding commitment.

Also offers Restrictive Early Action (closes Dec 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.

Of 1,334 admitted students, 154 enrolled (11.5% yield).

Bennington College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.

Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
1308–1375
ACT (mid-50%)
30–32
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
3.253.99

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Bennington College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $93,922/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$67,850
Fees, housing, food, books & other$26,072
Sticker cost of attendance$93,922/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

Under $30k$18,480
$30k–48k$18,012
$48k–75k$22,336
$75k–110k$25,508
Over $110k$44,625

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • Bennington College ScholarshipUp to $32,000 per year (Merit)
  • Bennington ScholarshipUp to $25,000 per year (Merit)
  • Bennington College GrantVaries based on demonstrated financial need (Need Based)
  • Bennington GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • Presidential ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

International applicants

Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.

  • Bennington College ScholarshipUp to $32,000 per year (Merit)
  • Bennington ScholarshipUp to $25,000 per year (Merit)
  • Bennington College GrantVaries based on demonstrated financial need (Need Based)
  • Bennington GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • Presidential ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

Bennington College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Completed Common Application or Apply Coalition
  • Teacher Recommendations (from at least two different subject areas)
  • School Report including counselor evaluation and transcripts
  • Admissions Interview
  • Supplementary Materials (e.g., portfolio, Glimpse video) (optional)

International applicants

  • Completed Common Application or Apply Coalition
  • Teacher Recommendations (from at least two different subject areas)
  • School Report including counselor evaluation and transcripts
  • Admissions Interview
  • Supplementary Materials (e.g., portfolio, Glimpse video) (optional)
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

Bennington College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

Bennington College requires no supplemental essays.

Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$38,289
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
71.2%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
82%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$26,000
At graduation

Bennington College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • U.S. News Liberal Arts: #121

Deadlines

  • 2026-11-15Early DecisionBinding early round
  • 2026-12-01Early ActionNon-binding early round
  • 2027-01-15Regular DecisionStandard deadline

Bennington College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C21–C22 · 2024

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Visual & performing arts (46%), English (18%), Biological & life sciences (6%).

Student–faculty ratio: 9:1 · 62% of class sections have under 20 students.

Bennington College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

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