Amherst College vs United States Military Academy
Amherst College and United States Military Academy (USMA) stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. Amherst, a private liberal arts college, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 13.2%, while USMA, a federal service academy, maintains a more competitive acceptance rate of 9.1%. In terms of student demographics, Amherst's undergraduate population is predominantly female (54%) and ethnically diverse, with international students comprising 12% of the student body. USMA, on the other hand, has a predominantly male (84%) and domestic student body, with a strong emphasis on military service and leadership. While Amherst offers a wide range of popular majors in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, USMA focuses primarily on engineering, social sciences, and military science. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Amherst achieving a 94% four-year graduation rate and USMA maintaining a
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![]() Amherst College |
![]() United States Military Academy |
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Overview |
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Location | Amherst, Massachusetts | West Point, New York |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | Town: Fringe |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Public |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 98.0% | 96.0% |
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Yes | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 8.7% | 10.7% |
Application fees | $60 | |
SAT range | 1370 - 1550 | 1200 - 1440 |
ACT range | 32 - 34 | 28 - 33 |
Students submitting SAT score | 36.0% | 78.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 31.0% | 62.0% |
Total number of applicants | 13,999 | 13,955 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,224 | 1,488 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 515 | 1,201 |
Yield rate | 42.1% | 80.7% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $80,050 | |
Average net price | $18,809 | |
Tuition | $60,700 | |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,700
Meal plan:
$7,400
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
61.0%
Average amount $58,644 |
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Students receiving federal student loan |
10.0%
Average amount $5,233 |
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Students taking out private loans |
3.0%
Average amount $16,803 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,971
Men 48.6% Women 51.4% |
4,594
Men 76.3% Women 23.7% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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N/A |
Out-of-state students | N/A | 93.8% |
International students | 10.4% | N/A |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Town: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | 2,000 | 4,700 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | New York California New Jersey Connecticut Pennsylvania | Texas California New York Florida New Jersey |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 7:1 | 7:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | EXEMPT |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 92.4% | 83.6% |
Dropout rate | 2.5% | 12.9% |
Transferred out | 3.6% | 3.3% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
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N/A |
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