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Bowdoin College

Private nonprofit 4-year · Brunswick, Maine · 1,873 undergradsTest-optional

Admission1 in 14 get in7.1% admitted, fall 2024
Average cost after grants$15,595a year · sticker $88,820
Graduation rate
93%
finish within 6 years
Earnings 10 years in$90,153median per year · debt $15,000
Report card how grades work
A+Overall value
B+Cost
A+Price for low incomes
A+Graduation
A+Earnings

Bowdoin College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Brunswick, Maine with 1,873 undergraduates. It admits 7.1% of applicants, costs an average of $15,595 a year after grants and graduates 93% of its students.

Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released October 15, 2026. What each number covers.

Bowdoin College acceptance rate and admissions

Bowdoin College admitted 7.1% of applicants for fall 2024, about 1 in 14. The median acceptance rate at 4-year colleges is 77%.

Test scores: Considered but not required (as reported for fall 2024 admission). That means you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Check the admissions office for the current policy.

SAT total
1470 to 1550
4001600
ACT composite
33 to 35
136

The colored band is the middle 50% of enrolled students in fall 2024 (reading and writing 730 to 770, math 740 to 780). The tick marks the typical 4-year college. Check how your scores fit.

Bowdoin College application deadlines 2026-27

RoundDeadline
Early decisionNov 15, 2026
Early decision IIJan 5, 2027
Regular decisionJan 5, 2027

Next deadline: Early decision, Nov 15, 2026. Application fee through the Common App: $70 for U.S. applicants. Confirm dates on Bowdoin College’s admissions page; see every college on the deadline calendar.

Source: Common App 2026-27 first-year deadlines, fees and requirements grid, updated Sep 25, 2026.

Bowdoin College tuition, cost and net price

Tuition and fees (2025-26)$71,740
On-campus housing and food (2025-26)$19,560
Total cost of attendance (2024-25)$88,820
Average net price after grants (2024-25)$15,595

Students who get federal aid pay an average of $15,595 a year after grants and scholarships, $73,225 less than the full cost of attendance.

What families pay, by income

Average yearly cost after grants for aided first-time students, by family income (2024-25):

$0 to $30,000$3,318
$30,001 to $48,000$5,634
$48,001 to $75,000$8,694
$75,001 to $110,000$16,219
Over $110,000$40,929

Your own price depends on your family's full situation. Run Bowdoin College's net price calculator for a personal estimate, or make a "what it costs us" card.

Bowdoin College graduation rate, earnings and debt

93%
finished within 6 years
97%
came back for year two
20%
get a Pell Grant
  • 93% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years (students who started in 2019).
  • Former students earned a median of $90,153 a year, 10 years after they started (students who received federal aid and were working).
  • Students who completed left with a median of $15,000 in federal student loans.

Earnings compared

Bowdoin College$90,153
Maine median, private nonprofit 4-year$62,903
U.S. median, private nonprofit 4-year$59,582

Debt compared

Bowdoin College$15,000
Maine median$22,973
U.S. median$23,250

Median debt is 17% of median earnings 10 years after entry. Many advisers suggest keeping total student debt below one year of expected pay. See the monthly payment.

Bowdoin College majors and what graduates earn

Bowdoin College awarded bachelor's degrees in 33 fields recently. The best-paid graduates four years out came from computer science ($137,611).

Computer science$137,611
Economics$121,983
Political science$89,253
Area Studies$75,966
All 33 majors at Bowdoin College
MajorGraduates (2023-24)Earnings 1 yr afterEarnings 4 yrs afterMedian debt
Computer science40$103,268$137,611n/a
Economics75$83,500$121,983$18,925
Political science73$68,542$89,253$12,776
Area Studies50$52,347$75,966$15,500
Mathematics51$73,412n/an/a
Biology43$38,860n/an/a
Neuroscience37n/an/an/a
English28$56,516n/an/a
History27n/an/an/a
Environmental science25n/an/an/a
Physics24n/an/an/a
Research and experimental psychology24n/an/an/a
Biochemistry and molecular biology21n/an/an/a
Geology and earth sciences20n/an/an/a
Fine and studio arts20n/an/an/a
Sociology18$50,091n/an/a
Education15n/an/an/a
Anthropology14n/an/an/a
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics9n/an/an/a
Human Computer Interaction9n/an/an/a
Chemistry9n/an/an/a
Philosophy7n/an/an/a
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies5n/an/an/a
Art and design, general5n/an/an/a
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics4n/an/an/a
Mathematics and Computer Science4n/an/an/a
Music3n/an/an/a
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics2n/an/an/a
Romance languages1n/an/an/a
Interdisciplinary studies, other1n/an/an/a
Religious studies1n/an/an/a
Theater1n/an/an/a
Teacher education by subject0n/an/an/a

Four-year earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Fields with few graduates have no published earnings.

Students and location

Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at Bowdoin College?

Bowdoin College admitted 7.1% of applicants for fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

How much does Bowdoin College cost?

Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $71,740. After grants and scholarships, aided students paid an average net price of $15,595 a year in 2024-25.

What SAT score do you need for Bowdoin College?

The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 730 to 770 in reading and writing and 740 to 780 in math, and 33 to 35 on the ACT. Scores inside these ranges are typical for admitted students.

Is Bowdoin College test-optional?

For fall 2024 admission, Bowdoin College reported that test scores were: considered but not required. Policies change, so confirm with the admissions office.

What is the graduation rate at Bowdoin College?

93% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years.

How much do Bowdoin College graduates make?

Former students who received federal aid earned a median of $90,153 a year 10 years after they started, in 2024 dollars.

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More: all colleges in Maine · Bowdoin College on the College Scorecard

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, data release of October 15, 2026. What each figure means and the year it covers.

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