Brown University acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Brown University · Private nonprofit · Providence, RI · 7,741 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Brown University admitted 5.2% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 9.2% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $74,650 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 9.2% | 28,919 | 2,654 |
| 2014 | 8.7% | 30,431 | 2,661 |
| 2015 | 9.5% | 30,396 | 2,885 |
| 2016 | 9.3% | 32,390 | 3,014 |
| 2017 | 8.5% | 32,723 | 2,779 |
| 2018 | 7.7% | 35,437 | 2,718 |
| 2019 | 7.1% | 38,674 | 2,733 |
| 2020 | 7.7% | 36,793 | 2,822 |
| 2021 | 5.5% | 46,568 | 2,568 |
| 2022 | 5.1% | 50,649 | 2,562 |
| 2023 | 5.2% | 51,316 | 2,686 |
Applications went from 28,919 in fall 2013 to 51,316 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $39 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $228 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,079 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $24,827 |
| Over $110,000 | $48,459 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $74,650 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $91,676 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $26,976 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 54% submitted the SAT, 22% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Northeastern MA | 5.6% | $69,289 same for all |
| University of Chicago IL | 4.8% | $73,962 same for all |
| MIT MA | 4.7% | $64,730 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Of the 51,316 people who applied to Brown for fall 2023, 5.2% were admitted.1 In fall 2013 the figure was 9.2%, a fall of 4.0 percentage points across the decade.1 The rate declined in 7 of the 10 year-to-year changes, though.1 The applicant pool expanded 77%, from 28,919 to 51,316, yet the count of admitted students barely moved, at 2,654 in 2013 and 2,686 in 2023.1
Brown is test-optional for fall 2023. Students who submitted scores had a middle 50% of 740 to 770 on SAT reading and writing, 760 to 800 on SAT math, and 34 to 35 on the ACT.1
The 2025-26 price for tuition and fees is $74,650 for everyone, while Rhode Island's 9 private bachelor's colleges have a median of $52,230.2 Grant aid brings the 2024-25 average net price down to $39 for incomes of $0 to $30,000 and $228 for $30,001 to $48,000.2 It reaches $24,827 for $75,001 to $110,000 and $48,459 above $110,000.2
96% of the 2019 cohort graduated within 6 years, compared with a 72% median across 11 Rhode Island colleges.2 Median earnings are $99,974 at 10 years after entry, and borrowers carry a median of $14,567 in federal loans.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 51,316 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 2,686 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,695 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 7,741 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 740 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 800 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 35 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 54% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 22% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $74,650 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $91,676 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $26,976 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $39 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $228 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,079 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $24,827 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $48,459 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 96% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 99% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 17% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $99,974 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $14,567 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Rhode Island (N = 9) | $52,230 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Rhode Island (N = 11) | 72% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Brown University, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page