Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Williams College is extremely selective in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Williams College is in the top 10% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $71,608 10 years after enrolling, 16th in Massachusetts, and in the top 10% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Williams College bachelor students earn 22% more than the national average. Williams College is ranked 9th in Massachusetts.
Williams College’s median net annual cost of $23,497 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Williams College sorted by number of graduates - Economics, Biology, Computer Science, Fine & Studio Arts, English Language & Lit, Area Studies - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$23,497
Average years to graduate
4.2
Mathematics
Rank: #71
Economic score: 2.22
Poli Sci/Government
Rank: #91
Economic score: 3.21
History
Rank: #81
Economic score: 4.12
General Psychology
Rank: #352
Economic score: 7.58
The average student at Williams College takes 4.2 years to graduate, with 96% graduating within 8 years. The graduation rate at Williams College is 24% more than the state average and 27% more than the average for all liberal arts colleges in the country.
At Williams College, Pell Grant recipients represent 22% of the measured graduating class, 13% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Williams College graduates within 4.3 years.
Williams College is in the top 50% 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.
Williams College’s economic mobility score of 21.73 is calculated by adjusting the 0.16 economic score of lower-income students by the 22% pell grant recipients within the student body. Williams College’s EMS of 21.73 ranks in the top 25% nationally.
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).
Top 25%
The average Title IV recipient at Williams College pays $23,497 a year, $43,043 less than the $66,540 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 $23,497
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Williams College, 52% 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 $23,497 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 15% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $4,090. This is 39% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$3,992
Pell grants
$5,123
State grants
$3,013
Institutional grants
$49,506
Williams College's extremely selective admissions are indicated by their 9% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 12,452 applicants, of which 1,099 were admitted and 574 enrolled. Williams College doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
100%
83%
Female
51%
59%
First time
99%
59%
In-state
14%
68%
1st generation
22%
35%
White
46%
52%
Black
7%
14%
Hispanic
13%
15%
Asian
14%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
20%
12%