Wesleyan University acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Wesleyan University · Private nonprofit · Middletown, CT · 3,066 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Wesleyan University admitted 17.1% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 20.9% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $73,128 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 20.9% | 10,046 | 2,102 |
| 2014 | 23.9% | 9,390 | 2,245 |
| 2015 | 22.2% | 9,822 | 2,180 |
| 2016 | 17.8% | 11,928 | 2,129 |
| 2017 | 16.3% | 12,360 | 2,013 |
| 2018 | 17.5% | 12,706 | 2,218 |
| 2019 | 16.5% | 13,264 | 2,186 |
| 2020 | 20.9% | 12,632 | 2,640 |
| 2021 | 19.4% | 13,067 | 2,540 |
| 2022 | 14.4% | 14,521 | 2,096 |
| 2023 | 17.1% | 14,500 | 2,479 |
Applications went from 10,046 in fall 2013 to 14,500 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 | $3,557 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $3,746 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,768 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,753 |
| Over $110,000 | $45,770 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $73,128 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $92,964 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $23,014 |
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: 28% submitted the SAT, 14% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Yale CT | 4.5% | $69,900 same for all |
| Fairfield University CT | 45.0% | $60,810 same for all |
| Sacred Heart University CT | 67.7% | $52,410 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Wesleyan University's fall 2023 admit rate came to 17.1% on 14,500 applications.1 It was 20.9% in 2013, so the overall change is a decrease of 3.8 percentage points.1 The rate declined in 6 of the 10 yearly comparisons, with a low of 14.4% in 2022.1 Applications grew 44% across the span, and admitted students grew 18%, from 2,102 to 2,479.1
Test scores are optional. Among those who sent them, the middle 50% was 730 to 770 on SAT math and 33 to 35 on the ACT.1
Every student is charged the same $73,128 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, which is higher than the $51,428 median of the 14 private colleges in Connecticut.2 Grants bring the average net price in 2024-25 down to $3,557 for families earning $0 to $30,000 and $8,768 for $48,001 to $75,000.2 At incomes over $110,000 the average is $45,770.2
Of the 2019 entering group, 90% graduated within 6 years, compared with a 59% median across 26 Connecticut bachelor's colleges.2 Former students were earning a median of $86,811 at the 10 year mark after entry. Those who borrowed federally carried a median of $14,000 in debt.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 14,500 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 2,479 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 782 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 3,066 | 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 | 720 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 730 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 33 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 35 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 28% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 14% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $73,128 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $92,964 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $23,014 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $3,557 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $3,746 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,768 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,753 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $45,770 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 90% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 95% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 14% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $86,811 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $14,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Connecticut (N = 14) | $51,428 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Connecticut (N = 26) | 59% | 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 Wesleyan 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