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Economic score
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college located in Oberlin, Ohio. Oberlin College is selective in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Oberlin College is in the bottom 10% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $47,921 10 years after enrolling, 41st in Ohio, and in the bottom 50% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Oberlin College bachelor students earn 16% less than the national average. Oberlin College is ranked 45th in Ohio.
Oberlin College’s median net annual cost of $34,777 and average years to graduate of 4.3 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Oberlin College sorted by number of graduates - Poli Sci/Government, Computer science, Neurobiology & Neurosciences, History, Economics, Area Studies - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$34,777
Average years to graduate
4.3
Natural Resource Conservation
Rank: #197
Economic score: 23.45
Rhetoric & Composition
Rank: #62
Economic score: 26.81
English Language & Lit
Rank: #442
Economic score: 40.49
Ethnic/Gender studies
Rank: #68
Economic score: 47.43
Sociology
Rank: -
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
Economic score: 54.83
Anthropology
Rank: #151
Economic score: 319.56
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.3 years. 86% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Oberlin College is 26% higher than the state average, and 17% above the average for all liberal arts colleges in the country.
At Oberlin College, Pell Grant recipients represent 9% of the measured graduating class, 26% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Oberlin College graduates within 4.4 years.
Oberlin College is in the bottom 5% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Oberlin College’s economic mobility score of 6.49 is calculated by adjusting the 2.35 economic score of lower-income students by the 9% pell grant recipients within the student body. Oberlin College’s EMS of 6.49 ranks in the bottom 10% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Bottom 10%
The average Title IV recipient at Oberlin College pays $34,777 a year, $44,519 less than the $79,296 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $34,777
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Oberlin College, 93% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $34,777 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 38% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $5,077. This is 16% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,142
Pell grants
$4,909
State grants
$3,129
Institutional grants
$33,931
Oberlin College's selective admissions are indicated by their 34% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 10,597 applicants, of which 3,639 were admitted and 864 enrolled. Oberlin College doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
100%
83%
Female
56%
59%
First time
97%
59%
In-state
5%
68%
1st generation
9%
35%
White
59%
52%
Black
6%
14%
Hispanic
8%
15%
Asian
5%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
22%
12%