Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences
Oberlin, OH · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences admitted 34.2% of applicants university-wide (3,597 of 10,529).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 34.2% | 3,597 | 10,529 |
| In-state | 29.7% | 200 | 674 |
| Out-of-state | 48.0% | 3,008 | 6,265 |
| International applicants | 10.8% | 389 | 3,590 |
| Men | 28.6% | 1,350 | 4,718 |
| Women | 38.6% | 2,235 | 5,785 |
Of 3,597 admitted students, 704 enrolled (19.6% yield).
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1370–1500
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 31–34
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.50–3.99
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $91,936/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $68,340 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $23,596 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $91,936/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $18,774 |
| $30k–48k | $15,799 |
| $48k–75k | $22,123 |
| $75k–110k | $29,207 |
| Over $110k | $48,731 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Oberlin Merit Scholarship — $10,000 to $30,000 per year (Merit)
- John Frederick Oberlin Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
- Oberlin College Grant — Up to full demonstrated need (Need Based)
- Oberlin College Scholarship — Varies (Merit)
- Oberlin Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.
- Oberlin Merit Scholarship — $10,000 to $30,000 per year (Merit)
- John Frederick Oberlin Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
- Oberlin College Grant — Up to full demonstrated need (Need Based)
- Oberlin College Scholarship — Varies (Merit)
- Oberlin Grant — Varies (Need Based)
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024
Application requirements
US applicants
- Application (Common App, Coalition/Scoir, or QuestBridge)
- Personal Essay
- Secondary School Report and High School Transcript
- One Teacher Evaluation
- Early Decision Agreement
- BFA Portfolio
- Interview (optional)
- SAT or ACT Test Scores (optional)
- Additional Recommendations (optional)
- Art and Performance Supplements (optional)
- Academic Research (optional)
International applicants
- Application (Common App, Coalition/Scoir, or QuestBridge)
- Personal Essay
- Secondary School Report and High School Transcript
- One Teacher Evaluation
- Early Decision Agreement
- BFA Portfolio
- Interview (optional)
- SAT or ACT Test Scores (optional)
- Additional Recommendations (optional)
- Art and Performance Supplements (optional)
- Academic Research (optional)
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 1 college-specific supplement:
- The motto of Oberlin College is "Learning and Labor." How do the values of learning and labor intersect in your academic and personal life?250 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $58,343
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 80.9%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 91%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $26,000
- At graduation
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings 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: #58
- WSJ: #532
- Forbes: #199
- Niche: #422
Deadlines
- 2026-11-15Early Decision — Binding early round
- 2027-01-15Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C21–C22 · 2024
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Visual & performing arts (27%), Social sciences (13%), Biological & life sciences (12%).
Student–faculty ratio: 9:1 · 78% of class sections have under 20 students.
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.