Vanderbilt University

Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach National
Population 1,500,000

Weather

Comfortable Days 115 (84%)
Sunshine Hours 2,510 (33%)
Days Without Precipitation 246 (48%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 7,248
Men / Women 48% / 52%
From State 13%
From Region 11%
Athletes 453 (6.3%)

Racial/Ethnic

White 39%
Asian 19%
Hispanic 11%
International 11%
Black 9%
Mixed 6%
Native American 1%

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Blair School of Music 52 50% 44% 27% 4% 12% 4% $62,286 16 +1.67 17 91%
Brass Instruments 6 — 83% 67% 0% 0% 33% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Classical Voice 6 — 0% 33% 17% 0% 33% 17% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Composition 3 — 33% 33% 0% 33% 0% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Jazz Studies 5 — 100% 60% 0% 0% 20% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Keyboard Instruments 2 — 100% 50% 0% 0% 0% 50% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Music Education 3 — 67% 33% 33% 33% 0% 0% $65,674 100 +2.03 24 — — — — —
Percussion Instruments 2 — 100% 0% 50% 0% 0% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Performance 1 — 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Stringed Instruments 16 — 31% 50% 44% 0% 0% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
Woodwind Instruments 8 — 38% 25% 50% 0% 12% 0% $62,079 98 +1.65 16 91% — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
College of Arts and Science 1,238 51% 40% 17% 11% 12% 9% $103,813 95 +2.84 89 96%
Chemistry 17 +6 59% 24% 18% 18% 12% 24% $82,303 90 +1.03 66 — — — — —
Earth and Environmental Sciences 3 +2 67% 67% 0% 0% 0% 0% $69,845 76 +0.43 35 — — — — —
Mathematics 45 +141 73% 27% 18% 4% 16% 24% $147,044 95 +2.33 99 94% — — — —
Physics 4 +13 100% 25% 0% 25% 0% 25% $105,958 95 +1.61 90 — — — — —
Biochemistry 29 +1 76% 38% 7% 0% 21% 10% $67,336 26 -0.37 29 100% — — — —
Biological Sciences 13 +3 62% 31% 23% 8% 0% 23% $72,320 80 +0.68 42 — — — — —
Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology 4 +1 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% 25% $70,876 90 +1.61 38 — — — — —
Molecular and Cellular Biology 30 +26 60% 20% 37% 17% 20% 7% $67,336 26 -0.37 29 100% — — — —
Neuroscience 45 +48 44% 33% 22% 16% 7% 7% $79,883 92 +1.13 61 96% — — — —
Medicine, Health, and Society 16 +10 38% 12% 6% 31% 31% 0% $81,597 91 +0.90 64 — — — — —
Economics 203 +36 66% 38% 19% 4% 12% 18% $153,824 95 +2.10 100 96% — — — —
African American and Diaspora Studies 3 +1 0% 0% 0% 67% 33% 0% $71,112 80 +0.95 39 — — — — —
American Studies 6 +1 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% $70,895 80 +0.93 38 — — — — —
Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies 1 — 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% $71,888 83 +1.01 41 — — — — —
Asian Studies 7 — 29% 29% 29% 14% 0% 14% $71,465 81 +0.97 40 — — — — —
Classical and Mediterranean Studies 16 +2 50% 56% 0% 0% 12% 0% $80,103 95 +2.26 62 — — — — —
Economics and History 17 +1 88% 76% 12% 0% 6% 0% $81,493 96 +2.40 64 100% — — — —
English 23 +23 43% 48% 13% 17% 13% 0% $69,351 97 +2.07 34 97% — — — —
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 10 +3 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 10% $70,534 80 +0.90 37 — — — — —
European Studies 3 — 33% 33% 0% 0% 33% 0% $71,894 83 +1.01 41 — — — — —
French 9 +6 33% 67% 11% 0% 11% 0% $73,659 94 +1.39 46 97% — — — —
German Studies 3 +1 67% 33% 0% 67% 0% 0% $71,903 83 +1.01 41 — — — — —
History 13 +15 54% 46% 23% 0% 23% 0% $81,493 96 +2.40 64 100% — — — —
Interdisciplinary Studies 194 +88 36% 38% 23% 16% 11% 3% $86,649 98 +2.81 73 96% — — — —
Jewish Studies — — — — — — — — $77,327 99 +3.26 55 — — — — —
Latin American Studies 1 — 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% $72,047 83 +1.02 41 — — — — —
Latino and Latina Studies 4 +1 50% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% $70,915 80 +0.93 38 — — — — —
Philosophy 8 +12 38% 50% 12% 12% 12% 0% $83,660 93 +1.68 68 90% — — — —
Religious Studies — +1 — — — — — — $87,505 100 +4.52 74 95% — — — —
Russian — +2 — — — — — — $74,308 94 +1.45 47 — — — — —
Spanish 3 +20 33% 67% 0% 33% 0% 0% $73,659 94 +1.39 46 97% — — — —
Anthropology 14 +4 29% 29% 7% 14% 21% 14% $79,116 97 +2.02 59 — — — — —
Communication Studies 19 +3 32% 63% 0% 16% 5% 16% $68,317 75 +0.60 31 100% — — — —
Environmental and Sustainability Studies 11 +6 9% 45% 9% 0% 36% 0% $74,078 96 +1.37 47 — — — — —
Political Science 49 +62 49% 41% 22% 12% 12% 4% $110,191 99 +2.80 93 98% — — — —
Psychology 48 +55 42% 27% 19% 15% 21% 12% $82,557 100 +4.17 66 96% — — — —
Public Policy Studies 7 +15 43% 71% 0% 0% 14% 14% $129,838 100 +4.24 98 94% — — — —
Social Sciences 283 +14 53% 51% 18% 7% 8% 5% $115,303 100 +5.30 95 95% — — — —
Sociology 17 +24 59% 0% 12% 41% 24% 0% $75,378 97 +1.68 50 93% — — — —
Architectural History and Criticism 2 +10 50% 50% 0% 0% 50% 0% $75,875 88 +0.89 52 — — — — —
Cinema and Media Arts 12 +5 33% 33% 8% 17% 0% 33% $71,717 99 +3.31 41 — — — — —
History of Art 7 +3 14% 43% 14% 0% 14% 14% $87,024 100 +2.73 74 95% — — — —
Studio Art 11 +3 36% 9% 27% 27% 9% 9% $87,024 100 +4.31 74 95% — — — —
Theater 1 — 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% $62,476 99 +2.60 17 — — — — —
Law, History, and Society 27 +14 37% 59% 0% 7% 11% 4% $78,346 99 +2.54 58 — — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Peabody College of Education and Human Development 147 19% 41% 12% 7% 15% 13% $63,108 19 +0.25 18 95%
Child Development 12 +10 17% 58% 8% 8% 17% 8% $56,176 68 +0.35 7 100% — — — —
Child Studies 25 +9 12% 36% 4% 16% 20% 8% $81,153 97 +2.17 64 95% — — — —
Cognitive Studies 59 +19 24% 25% 15% 8% 17% 25% $58,808 9 -1.02 10 95% — — — —
Human and Organizational Development 5 +1 20% 60% 0% 0% 0% 20% $75,192 99 +2.60 50 — — — — —
Elementary Education 3 — 33% 0% 0% 0% 33% 0% $58,915 90 +0.99 11 96% — — — —
Language Sciences 14 — 21% 50% 14% 0% 29% 0% $58,915 77 +0.45 11 96% — — — —
Secondary Education 18 — 22% 61% 22% 6% 0% 0% $58,915 77 +0.45 11 95% — — — —
Special Education 11 — 0% 82% 9% 0% 0% 0% $60,583 75 +0.71 13 96% — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Engineering 393 57% 33% 22% 9% 12% 16% $137,654 100 +1.53 99 97%
Biomedical Engineering 43 +9 26% 51% 9% 9% 14% 2% $124,249 95 +2.18 97 97% — — — —
Chemical Engineering 30 — 43% 40% 7% 3% 23% 10% $131,121 99 +2.62 98 100% — — — —
Civil Engineering 23 — 39% 43% 22% 13% 13% 0% $111,861 100 +2.79 93 100% — — — —
Electrical & Computer Engineering 24 — 79% 17% 21% 17% 12% 17% $145,648 91 +1.35 99 — — — — —
Electrical Engineering 3 — 33% 67% 33% 0% 0% 0% $147,908 91 +1.46 99 — — — — —
Engineering Science 35 — 43% 51% 11% 14% 9% 6% $113,476 93 +1.14 94 100% — — — —
Mechanical Engineering 65 — 74% 38% 23% 6% 15% 6% $113,869 95 +1.84 94 97% — — — —
Computer Science 170 +74 64% 21% 29% 8% 9% 28% $158,451 88 +0.98 100 96% — — — —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $72,224
ROI Percentile 91th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 96%
4-Year Graduation Rate 87%
6-Year Graduation Rate 94%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Social Sciences 30.0% 549 44% 43% 15% 10% 13% 9% $98,274 100 +3.57 85 96% —
Humanities 17.5% 321 40% 41% 18% 14% 13% 2% $82,205 98 +2.39 66 96% —
Engineering 12.2% 223 52% 42% 16% 9% 14% 6% $121,801 95 +1.94 97 98% —
Business & Economics 11.1% 203 66% 38% 19% 4% 12% 18% $153,824 99 +2.10 100 96% —
Computer Science 9.3% 170 64% 21% 29% 8% 9% 28% $158,451 91 +0.98 100 96% —
Life & Natural Sciences 6.6% 121 58% 31% 21% 11% 12% 10% $72,655 76 +0.37 43 98% —
Arts 4.6% 85 42% 38% 22% 8% 11% 9% $69,178 97 +2.32 33 92% —
Physical Sciences & Math 3.8% 69 71% 28% 16% 9% 13% 23% $125,355 95 +1.89 98 94% —
Education 2.5% 46 17% 59% 15% 2% 11% 0% $59,314 82 +0.55 11 96% —
Professional 1.5% 27 37% 59% 0% 7% 11% 4% $78,346 73 +2.54 58 — —
Health Sciences 0.9% 16 38% 12% 6% 31% 31% 0% $81,597 69 +0.90 64 — —

Research R1

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Health Sciences $770M #11 67% $68.8M 12 #125 69 135
Life & Natural Sciences $251M #18 63% $13.9M 96 #22 676 147
Engineering $83.0M #60 66% $1.5M 60 #62 347 38
Humanities & Social Sciences $66.2M #24 24% $0 61 #84 171 33
Education $62.1M #3 43% $0.5M 47 #68 — —
Physical Sciences & Math $37.9M #87 51% $0.6M 45 #68 280 46
Computer Science $28.1M #36 64% $0.3M 21 #45 145 14
Business & Economics $16.7M #37 0% $0.1M 152 #3 45 3
Agriculture & Food Science $0 #318 — $0 — — — —
Total $1,315M #22 62% $85.7M 494 #38 1,733 416

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Sports NCAA D1

⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Football 116 $44.1M $44.1M $0
Baseball 46 $10.1M $10.1M $0
Basketball 18 $13.3M $13.3M $0
Tennis 16 $1.9M $1.9M $0
Cross Country 12 $549K $549K $0
Golf 9 $2.4M $2.4M $0
Total 217 $72.4M $72.4M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 113 $5.1M $5.1M $0
Soccer 44 $4.0M $4.0M $0
Lacrosse 41 $3.4M $3.4M $0
Swimming 36 $3.0M $3.0M $0
Basketball 28 $8.3M $8.3M $0
Bowling 11 $1.8M $1.8M $0
Golf 10 $2.1M $2.1M $0
Tennis 9 $1.9M $1.9M $0
Total 236 $29.7M $29.7M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Football 116 $44.1M $44.1M $0
Track & Field (combined) 113 $5.1M $5.1M $0
Baseball 46 $10.1M $10.1M $0
Basketball 46 $21.6M $21.6M $0
Soccer 44 $4.0M $4.0M $0
Lacrosse 41 $3.4M $3.4M $0
Swimming 36 $3.0M $3.0M $0
Tennis 25 $3.9M $3.9M $0
Golf 19 $4.5M $4.5M $0
Cross Country 12 $549K $549K $0
Bowling 11 $1.8M $1.8M $0
Total 453 $146.4M $146.4M $0

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. Each team's revenue and expenses are what the college attributes to it. The Total view's totals row is the department's grand total, which also includes money not attributed to any team; the Male and Female totals rows only add up their teams.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 4.0%
Yield (non-ED) 44%
Early Decision 1 Nov 1
Regular Decision Jan 1
Early Decision 2 Jan 15

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 8% 4% 3%
Early Decision 27% 14% 10%
Unhooked Early Decision 20% 10% —

Hooked: legacy, recruited athletes, faculty-related, and Questbridge

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 52%
SAT Range 1510 – 1560
SAT Math Range 770 – 790
SAT RW Range 740 – 770