Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina · Private · 1,867 undergraduates · davidson.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
13%
of 8,933 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1410 to 1500
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$99,220Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Davidson College
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
13% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 13% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$99,220
a year in 2027-28, from a $99,220 sticker price
What to do with your 1460
Send your score
About 56% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1340, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Testing Policy | Davidson · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov15Early Decision · November 15, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan4Early Decision II · January 4, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan11Regular Decision · January 11, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
13%
of applicants were admitted: 1,127 of 8,933 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 29% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
1,968 students were offered a spot; 28 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 25% of them sent SAT scores and 24% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1410 to 1500
Reading and Writing 710 to 755
Math 695 to 760
ACT composite 32 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160076%
- 1200 to 139922%
- 1000 to 11991.5%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$99,220
a year
- Tuition$76,010
- Fees$940
- Food and housing$19,530
- Books and supplies$860
- Transportation and other$1,880
Davidson College published $95,395 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$3,629
- $30,001 to $48,000$684
- $48,001 to $75,000$9,504
- $75,001 to $110,000$14,107
- Over $110,000$40,868
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$65,233
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
3.6%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $35,495 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 1/12
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 1/12
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
National Merit Davidson College Scholarship (NMSC college-sponsored)
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
38 of 39
Earn credit with a score of 3
2 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,600Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 1 | ART 199C |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 1 | ART 199C |
| African American Studies | 4 | 1 | HIS 199C |
| Art History | 4 | 1 | ART 100 |
| Biology | 4 | 1 | BIO 107 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 1 | MAT 111 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 1 | MAT 111 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 2 | MAT 111 & 113 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 1 | CHE 115 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | CHI 199 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 1 | POL 140 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 1 | CSC 121 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 1 | CSC 108 |
| Drawing | 4 | 1 | ART 199C |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 1 | ENG 199 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 1 | ENG 199C |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 1 | ENV 199C |
| European History | 5 | 1 | HIS 199C |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | FRE 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | GER 199 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 1 | UNS 199 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | UNS 199 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | UNS 199 |
| Latin | 4 | 1 | LAT 199 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 1 | ECO 199C |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 1 | ECO 199C |
| Music Theory | 4 | 1 | MUS 101 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 1 | PHY 118* |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 1 | PHY 119* |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 1 | PHY 119 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 1 | PHY 118 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 1 | PHY 130 |
| Psychology | 4 | 1 | PSY 101 |
| Research | 4 | 1 | UNS 199 |
| Seminar | 4 | 1 | UNS 199 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | SPA 199 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 1 | SPA 199 |
| Statistics | 4 | 1 | MAT 104 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 1 | POL 121 |
| United States History | 5 | 1 | HIS 199C |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 1 | HIS 199C |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
90%
Come back for a second year
95%
Typical earnings
$89,297
a year, 10 years after starting here
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Davidson College. The Davidson College logo is a trademark of the college.