Bentley University

Waltham, MA · Private

Official website

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Admission rate

Bentley University admitted 45.1% of applicants university-wide (4,961 of 11,012).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide45.1%4,96111,012
In-state46.5%1,7443,752
Out-of-state47.3%2,3524,970
International applicants35.7%6951,949
Early Decision (binding)61.1%389637
Men42.5%2,7606,491
Women48.7%2,2014,520

Early Decision applicants were admitted at 61.1%, vs 45.1% overall — ED is a binding commitment.

Also offers Restrictive Early Action (closes Nov 15) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.

Of 4,961 admitted students, 1,056 enrolled (21.3% yield).

Bentley University 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%)
1290–1403
ACT (mid-50%)
28–31
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
3.503.99

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Bentley University 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: $85,290/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$61,000
Fees, housing, food, books & other$24,290
Sticker cost of attendance$85,290/yr

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

Under $30k$21,196
$30k–48k$18,587
$48k–75k$26,164
$75k–110k$33,653
Over $110k$49,190

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.

  • Bentley ScholarsUp to $20,000 per year (Merit)
  • Dean's Scholarship$20,000 per year (Merit)
  • Falcon ScholarshipUp to $15,000 per year (Merit)
  • Bentley GrantVaries (Need Based)
  • Presidential ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)
  • Women's Leadership ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

International applicants

No need-based aid reported for internationals.

  • Bentley ScholarsUp to $20,000 per year (Merit)
  • Dean's Scholarship$20,000 per year (Merit)
  • Falcon ScholarshipUp to $15,000 per year (Merit)
  • Presidential ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)
  • Women's Leadership ScholarshipFull tuition (Full Tuition)

Bentley University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Official transcript
  • Test scores (SAT/ACT) (optional)
  • Letters of recommendation (recommended)
  • Supplemental essays (recommended)
  • Application fee

International applicants

  • Official transcript
  • Test scores (SAT/ACT) (optional)
  • Letters of recommendation (recommended)
  • Supplemental essays (recommended)
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)
  • Application fee

Bentley University Common Data Set · Application requirements · 2024

Essay prompts

The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 1 college-specific supplement:

  1. Bentley students are known for being ambitious, creative, and ready to do business. What makes you interested in Bentley, and how do you plan to make your mark?500 words · Required

Draft these in the free Essay Coach

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

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$120,959
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
86.8%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
93%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$25,023
At graduation

Bentley University · 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

  • WSJ: #12
  • Forbes: #201
  • Niche: #156

Deadlines

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

Bentley University Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C21–C22 · 2024

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (89%), Computer & information sciences (5%), Social sciences (1%).

Student–faculty ratio: 12:1 · 22% of class sections have under 20 students.

Bentley University 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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