Bowdoin College: Statistics
Updated:
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| #1343 of 14,131 | In the World |
| #367 of 2,597 | In North America |
| #330 of 2,496 | In the United States |
| #2 of 19 | In Maine |
| #484 of 2,195 | For Art History |
| Top50% | For 62 other topics |
Quick Review
- Acceptance rate
- 7%
- Undergraduates
- 1,881
- Male:Female Ratio
- 47:53
- Control
- Private
not-for-profit - Highest Degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Website
- bowdoin.edu
Bowdoin College Acceptance rate and admissions statistics
Bowdoin College has an acceptance rate of 7% and is among the top 1% of the most difficult universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| Applicants | 13,265 | 6,244 | 7,013 |
| Admissions | 946 | 434 | 511 |
| Freshmen enrolled full time | 507 | 232 | 275 |
SAT scores
Among admitted applicants
158 or 31%
submitted SAT
25% of them
had 1470
or below
75% of them
had 1550
or below
Typical SAT scores of first-years in Bowdoin College are 1470-1550 (middle 50% range).
ACT scores
Among admitted applicants
85 or 17%
submitted ACT
25% of them
had 33
or below
75% of them
had 35
or below
Typical ACT scores of first-years in Bowdoin College are 33-35 (middle 50% range).
Admissions requirements
| College-preparatory program | Required |
|---|---|
| Recommendations | Required |
| Secondary school record | Required |
| Formal demonstration of competencies | Considered but not required |
| Other Tests | Considered but not required |
| SAT/ACT | Considered but not required |
| Secondary school GPA | Considered but not required |
| Secondary school rank | Considered but not required |
| TOEFL | Considered but not required |
Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity
| White | 993 (53%) |
|---|---|
| Hispanic | 272 (14%) |
| Asian | 209 (11%) |
| Two or more races | 167 (9%) |
| Nonresident Alien | 130 (7%) |
| Black or African American | 101 (5%) |
| Race or Ethnicity unknown | 5 (0.3%) |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 3 (0.2%) |
Costs per year: Tuition, Housing, Fees
The average net cost to attend Bowdoin College is $22,228 per year, calculated as the sum of the average cost of tuition, room and board, books, and supplies, reduced by the amount of average financial aid received.
The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.
Average costs by household income
| <$30K | $3,145 |
|---|---|
| $30-48K | $2,800 |
| $48-75K | $9,007 |
| $75-110K | $13,801 |
| $110K+ | $35,196 |
Tuition and fees
| Undergraduates | |
|---|---|
| Tuition in-district | $67,198 |
| Tuition in-state | $67,198 |
| Tuition out-of-state | $67,198 |
| Fee in-district | $634 |
| Fee in-state | $634 |
| Fee out-of-state | $634 |
Room and board costs
| Dormitory capacity | 1,875 |
|---|---|
| Combined charge for room and board | $18,488 |
| Room charge | $9,148 |
| Meal charge | $9,340 |
Bowdoin College majors
Bowdoin College has granted 482 bachelor's degrees across 35 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Bowdoin College.
| Major | Bachelor |
|---|---|
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 63 |
| Political Science and Government, General | 60 |
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 42 |
| Computer Science | 33 |
| Neuroscience | 32 |
| Mathematics, General | 26 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 23 |
| History, General | 21 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other | 20 |
| Biochemistry | 19 |
| Geology & Earth Science, General | 19 |
| Physics, General | 15 |
| Sociology, General | 15 |
| Anthropology, General | 13 |
| African Studies | 7 |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 7 |
| Chemistry, General | 7 |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General | 7 |
| Fine & Studio Arts, General | 7 |
| Philosophy | 7 |
| French Studies | 6 |
| Asian Studies & Civilization | 5 |
| Latin American Studies | 5 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | 4 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 4 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 4 |
| Italian Studies | 2 |
| Spanish and Iberian Studies | 2 |
| Chemical Physics | 1 |
| Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other | 1 |
| German Language and Literature | 1 |
| Multi- & Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 1 |
| Music, General | 1 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General | 1 |
| Russian Language and Literature | 1 |
| Grand Total | 482 |
Bowdoin College has a graduation rate of 95%, which is among the 2% highest for universities in the US.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 95% | 95% | 95% |
| |||
Publications & Citations
Bowdoin College has published 5,174 scientific papers with 113,348 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Environmental Science, Biology, Political Science, Law, Philosophy, Physics, Computer Science, History, and Engineering.
Publication / Citation count by topic
Annual publication & citation counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 61 | 299 |
| 1994 | 50 | 336 |
| 1995 | 57 | 380 |
| 1996 | 49 | 441 |
| 1997 | 47 | 471 |
| 1998 | 41 | 504 |
| 1999 | 71 | 569 |
| 2000 | 75 | 765 |
| 2001 | 61 | 834 |
| 2002 | 84 | 999 |
| 2003 | 110 | 1305 |
| 2004 | 95 | 1638 |
| 2005 | 93 | 1559 |
| 2006 | 97 | 1820 |
| 2007 | 108 | 2049 |
| 2008 | 109 | 2496 |
| 2009 | 127 | 2530 |
| 2010 | 141 | 2799 |
| 2011 | 103 | 3090 |
| 2012 | 172 | 3555 |
| 2013 | 151 | 4033 |
| 2014 | 256 | 4160 |
| 2015 | 186 | 4560 |
| 2016 | 202 | 4805 |
| 2017 | 189 | 4946 |
| 2018 | 189 | 5797 |
| 2019 | 202 | 7174 |
| 2020 | 208 | 7818 |
| 2021 | 226 | 8634 |
| 2022 | 186 | 8128 |
| 2023 | 185 | 7779 |
| 2024 | 153 | 7348 |
| 2025 | 115 | 6547 |
Bowdoin College alumni
-
Zohran Mamdani
- Enrolled in Bowdoin College
- In 2014 graduated with Bachelor of Arts in African studies
- Occupations
- social activisthousing counselorrapperpolitician
- Biography
-
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is an American politician who has served as the 112th mayor of New York City since January 2026. A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani served from 2021 to 2025 as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th district, representing Astoria, Queens.
-
Franklin Pierce
- Enrolled in Bowdoin College
- Studied in 1824
- Occupations
- statespersonlawyerpolitician
- Biography
-
Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. A northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to national unity, he alienated anti-slavery groups by signing the Kansas–Nebraska Act and enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act. Conflict between North and South continued after Pierce's presidency, and, following Abraham Lincoln's victory in the 1860 presidential election, the Southern states seceded, resulting in the American Civil War.
-
Reed Hastings
- Occupations
- chief executive officerphilanthropistentrepreneur
- Biography
-
Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. is an American billionaire businessman. He is the co-founder and chairman of Netflix, Inc., which provides the Netflix streaming service. Hastings serves on a number of boards and works with various non-profit organizations. A former president of the California State Board of Education, Hastings is also an advocate for charter schools.
-
Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Enrolled in Bowdoin College
- Studied in 1825
- Occupations
- science fiction writerwriterchildren's writernovelistshort story writer
- Biography
-
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
General info
| Alternative names | BC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1794 |
| Motto | Ut Aquila Versus Coelum As an eagle towards the sky |
| Colors | white, black |
| Academic calendar | Semesters |
| Total FTE staff | 1,000 |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus |
Location and contacts
| Address | 255 Maine Street Brunswick, Maine, 04011 United States |
|---|---|
| City population | 22,000 |
| Phone | 2077253000 |