Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 14.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 94/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Wellesley scores a 94 (Exceptional Value) at a women's liberal arts college 12 miles west of Boston with 2,300 undergraduates. The ROI case is built on low debt and high earnings relative to investment: median debt is $10,000; the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.206; and the payback period is 4.9 years. Average 6-year earnings of $48,600 appear moderate until you account for the major mix - Wellesley sends disproportionate numbers into graduate programs, which temporarily suppresses 6-year Scorecard earnings. Economics is the largest high-earning program (97 graduates, $86,367 year-one), followed by Computer and Information Sciences (67 graduates, $100,644 year-one). The 91.5% completion rate is strong.
The median graduate earns $84,803 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Wellesley College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $67,176/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $67,176/yr |
| Average net price | $25,496/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $101,984 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $84,803 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $48,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $10,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $106 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 91.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,300 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $67,176/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,496/year, or roughly $101,984 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $2,546/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $54,188/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $10,000, which works out to about $106 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($48,600) and comes to 0.21, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $2,546 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $2,836 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,587 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $11,551 |
| $110,001+ | $54,188 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $2,546 per year at Wellesley - about $10,000 over four years total. That is a genuine affordability commitment from a school with a $67,000 sticker price. Against average 6-year earnings of $48,600 and a 4.9-year payback, a low-income Wellesley student in economics or CS is making an exceptional investment. Even humanities graduates at this cost level leave with manageable debt.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $2,836 per year - roughly equal to the lowest bracket. The 48,001-75,000 bracket rises to $6,587, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket reaches $11,551. The slope across middle income is gradual and affordable throughout. Families earning up to $110,000 pay well under $12,000 per year.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $54,188 per year - essentially full sticker. Over four years that approaches $217,000 all-in. Against a median 10-year earnings figure of $84,803, the full-pay case is financially defensible for graduates in economics or CS but tight for those in humanities or psychology. A student paying full freight for a degree in Romance Languages ($36,776 year-one earnings) needs a clear graduate-school plan to justify the cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Wellesley College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $121,787 | A |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $52,538 | B+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $177,213 | A |
| International Relations | $72,830 | A |
| Biology | $58,285 | B+ |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $44,687 | A |
| English Language and Literature | $59,865 | B+ |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $98,816 | - |
| Area Studies | $43,231 | A |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $43,926 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Economics
Economics is Wellesley's volume leader among high-earning programs: 97 graduates, $86,367 at year one, $121,787 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.130 (ROI grade A) and median debt of $11,190 make this a financially efficient economics program. The four-year earnings ($121,787) reflect advancement into senior analytical or finance roles.
Computer and Information Sciences
Sixty-seven CIS graduates earn a median $100,644 at year one and $177,213 at four years - the highest four-year earnings among any Wellesley program. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.133 (ROI grade A) and $13,350 median debt are clean. The $177,213 four-year figure reflects placement into senior software engineering and technology roles in the Boston-Cambridge and New York tech markets.
International Relations
Forty-five International Relations graduates earn $50,214 at year one and $72,830 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.249 (ROI grade A) reflects the low debt load ($12,500 median) relative to earnings. The year-one figure is moderate and consistent with entry-level roles in government, think tanks, NGOs, and international finance. For students planning graduate school in law or international affairs - a common Wellesley path - the 6-year Scorecard number understates lifetime trajectory. The four-year figure ($72,830) reflects those who enter the workforce directly without graduate study.
Research and Experimental Psychology
Research and Experimental Psychology (68 graduates) earns $36,283 at year one and $52,538 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.345 (ROI grade B+) shows the debt burden is manageable given Wellesley's low borrowing levels. The year-one figure reflects the reality of most psychology bachelor's degree holders: entry-level research, clinical coordination, and human services roles. Many Wellesley psychology graduates continue to graduate programs, and the Scorecard's 6-year window captures a mix of post-grad earners and graduate students. For students planning psychology careers without a graduate degree, the entry earnings are modest against any private school cost.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 92.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 92.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 91.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 94.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Wellesley College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 14.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 730-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 730-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 33-35 |
| Enrollment | 2,300 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $14,120 |
Wellesley admits 14% of applicants - selective. SAT Math 730-790, Reading 730-770; ACT 33-35. As a women's college, the applicant pool is self-selected: only women (and some non-binary students) apply.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley College (this school) | 94 | $25,496 | $84,803 |
| Barnard College | 90 | $28,800 | $80,516 |
| Scripps College | 78 | $36,294 | $77,539 |
| Bryn Mawr College | 74 | $31,759 | $75,217 |
| Smith College | 73 | $27,579 | $64,027 |
| Simmons University | 72 | $25,265 | $63,494 |
Who Thrives Here
Wellesley admits 14% of applicants, with a mid-range of SAT 730-790 Math and 730-770 Reading; ACT 33-35. With a 21% Pell rate and $10,000 median debt, the school's financial aid reaches students who would otherwise be priced out of liberal arts. Students who thrive here are intellectually independent, goal-directed, and at peace with a women's college environment. Economics and Computer Science graduates see the strongest immediate earnings outcomes. Students entering humanities can expect lower early earnings that may recover significantly at 10 years (median 10-year earnings are $84,803) - Wellesley's graduate school placement rates are relevant context that the Scorecard does not capture.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Wellesley College is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $101,984 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $84,803 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.9 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 91.5% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $10,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $48,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Wellesley College: Common Questions
Is Wellesley College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Wellesley College pays off. It scores 94/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $25,496 a year after aid ($101,984 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $84,803 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.9 years to earn back.
How much does Wellesley College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $25,496 a year, or roughly $101,984 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Wellesley College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $84,803 ten years after enrolling, roughly $43,003 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Wellesley College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 4.9 years for Wellesley College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Wellesley College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $10,000, against average earnings of $48,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Wellesley College?
The six-year graduation rate is 91.5%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.