Lawrence University vs Williams College

Lawrence University and Williams College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Lawrence, nestled in Appleton, Wisconsin, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on individualized attention, reflected in its small class sizes and accessible faculty. Williams, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, is renowned for its rigorous academics and vibrant intellectual culture, attracting students from diverse backgrounds. While Lawrence prides itself on its conservatory of music, Williams excels in the sciences and social sciences. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Lawrence University logo

Lawrence University

Williams College logo

Williams College

Overview

Location Appleton, Wisconsin Williamstown, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Small Town: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Trimester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 97.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.0% 8.8%
Application fees $65
SAT range 1230 - 1460 N/A
ACT range 27 - 32 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 24.0%
Students submitting ACT score 37.0%
Total number of applicants 2,907 12,452
Total number of admissions given out 2,179 1,099
Admitted students who chose to enroll 402 574
Yield rate 18.4% 52.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $65,445 $78,060
Average net price $24,804 $14,487
Tuition $52,101 $59,350
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,814

Meal plan: $5,370
Room/dormitory: $7,625

Meal plan: $7,375
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $39,841
52.0%
Average amount $52,053
Students receiving federal student loan 57.0%
Average amount $5,053
13.0%
Average amount $3,992
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $16,464
2.0%
Average amount $3,884

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,483
Men 45.8% Women 54.2%
2,174
Men 48.1% Women 51.9%
Graduate students N/A 50
Men 44.0% Women 56.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 73.1% N/A
International students 12.3% 9.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,460 2,045
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota Texas California N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • History
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Ethnic Studies
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 80.5% 93.8%
Dropout rate 19.0% 3.1%
Transferred out N/A 1.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $54,035
  • Year 3: $51,421
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: $35,410
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: $32,588
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: $31,648
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $27,840
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $27,395
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $24,417
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $20,533
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,960
  • Year 3: N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $23,113
  • Year 3: N/A
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,470
  • Year 2: $96,183
  • Year 3: $99,047
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,280
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $91,723
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,217
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $63,034
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,948
  • Year 2: $44,384
  • Year 3: $48,967
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,036
  • Year 2: $49,464
  • Year 3: $44,771
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,993
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $43,402
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,135
  • Year 2: $40,461
  • Year 3: $41,065
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,760
  • Year 2: $34,704
  • Year 3: $37,587
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,029
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $26,432
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,668
  • Year 2: $25,525
  • Year 3: $14,771

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