Vanderbilt acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Vanderbilt University · Private nonprofit · Nashville, TN · 7,152 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Vanderbilt admitted 6.3% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 12.7% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $71,226 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 12.7% | 31,099 | 3,963 |
| 2014 | 13.1% | 29,518 | 3,865 |
| 2015 | 11.7% | 31,464 | 3,674 |
| 2016 | 10.7% | 32,442 | 3,487 |
| 2017 | 10.9% | 31,462 | 3,415 |
| 2018 | 9.6% | 34,313 | 3,298 |
| 2019 | 9.1% | 37,310 | 3,402 |
| 2020 | 11.6% | 36,646 | 4,259 |
| 2021 | 7.1% | 47,152 | 3,368 |
| 2022 | 6.7% | 46,377 | 3,093 |
| 2023 | 6.3% | 45,313 | 2,844 |
Applications went from 31,099 in fall 2013 to 45,313 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 | $3,637 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $1,908 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $5,651 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $11,284 |
| Over $110,000 | $42,583 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $71,226 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $94,142 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $15,497 |
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: 25% submitted the SAT, 26% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
What the numbers say
Vanderbilt admitted 6.3% of applicants for fall 2023, its lowest rate in the IPEDS record we show.1 For fall 2013 the rate was 12.7%, so it has fallen 6.4 percentage points, declining in 7 of the 10 year-to-year changes.1 Applications increased 46% to 45,313, while admitted students went from 3,963 to 2,844.1
Vanderbilt was test-optional for fall 2023; the middle 50% of ACT submitters scored 34 to 35.1
Tuition and fees are $71,226 for 2025-26, and the 2024-25 cost of attendance is $94,142.2 Most aided families pay a small share of that: the average net price was $3,637 for incomes up to $30,000, $1,908 for $30,001 to $48,000 and $11,284 for $75,001 to $110,000.2 Families above $110,000 paid an average of $42,583 in 2024-25.2 Vanderbilt's overall average net price of $15,497 is below the $20,593 median for the 30 private nonprofit bachelor's colleges in Tennessee that report it.2
Of students who began in 2019, 93% graduated within 6 years, and graduates owe a median $15,000 in federal loans.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 45,313 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 2,844 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,622 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 7,152 | 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 | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 790 | 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 | 25% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 26% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $71,226 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $94,142 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $15,497 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $3,637 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $1,908 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $5,651 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $11,284 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $42,583 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 93% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 96% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 25% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $99,080 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $15,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median average net price, private nonprofit colleges, Tennessee (N = 30) | $20,593 | College Scorecard, median NPT4_PRIV, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2024-252 |
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 Vanderbilt, 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