Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts · Private · 7,061 undergraduates · tufts.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
11%
of 33,415 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1460 to 1520
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$101,040Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Tufts University
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
11% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 11% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$101,040
a year in 2027-28, from a $101,040 sticker price
What to do with your 1500
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1500).
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: SAT and ACT Tests | Tufts Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov2Early Decision · November 2, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan4Early Decision II · January 4, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan4Regular Decision · January 4, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
11%
of applicants were admitted: 3,613 of 33,415 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 32% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
3,061 students were offered a spot; 71 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. 42% of them sent SAT scores and 16% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1460 to 1520
Reading and Writing 720 to 760
Math 730 to 780
ACT composite 33 to 35
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
$101,040
a year
- Tuition$77,860
- Fees$1,760
- Food and housing$21,420
Tufts University published $97,152 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$4,195
- $30,001 to $48,000$10,240
- $48,001 to $75,000$16,897
- $75,001 to $110,000$29,497
- Over $110,000$57,862
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$64,788
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
3%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $23,157 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: 2/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Also asks for
- Tax Returns
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Tufts National Merit Scholarship
National Merit
$500/semester
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
34 of 34
Earn credit with a score of 3
5 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,790Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | |
| Biology | 5 | 5 | BIO 13 & 15 or BIO 14 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 0032 (Engineering students only receive credit for a 5.) |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 0032 (A&S students receive credit with an AB Subscore of 4 or 5. No credit for Engineering students.) |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 4 | MATH 0032 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 8 | MATH 0032 & MATH 0034 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 10 | CHEM 0001 and 0002 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 0 | CHNS 0003 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 0 | CHNS 0004 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | PS AP (A max of 3 credits and one course equivalent can be awarded for political science AP Exams. Cannot be used towards the major.) |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | COMP 005 (If both Computer Science A and Computer Science Principles are taken, only one receives credit. Awards general credit for Engineering students; does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.) |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | COMP 005 (If both Computer Science A and Computer Science Principles are taken, only one receives credit. Awards general credit for Engineering students; does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.) |
| Drawing | 4 | 4 | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 0001 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 3 | ENG 01/2 (Exempt from writing requirement.) |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 0001 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 3 | ENG 01/2 (Exempt from writing requirement.) |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | BIO 0007 (Awards general credit for Engineering students; does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.) |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HIST AP (A max of 6.0 Semester Hour Units in total can be awarded for history AP Exams.) |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 0 | FR 0003 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 0 | FR 0004 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | FR 0021 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 0 | GER 0003 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 0 | GER 0004 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | GER 0021 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | ANTH AP |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 0 | ITAL 0002 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 0 | ITAL 0003 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 0 | ITAL 0004 |
| Latin | 5 | 3 | LAT 0003 |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | 3 | EC AP (With 5's on both Macro and Micro AP, also receive credit for EC 0005; 7 credits earned in total.) |
| Microeconomics | 5 | 3 | EC AP (With 5's on both Macro and Micro AP, also receive credit for EC 0005; 7 credits earned in total.) |
| Music Theory | 5 | 0 | See Music Department for placement. |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 5 | PHY 0001 (No credit for Engineering students.) |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 5 | PHY 0002 (No credit for Engineering students.) |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 5 | PHY 0012 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 5 | PHY 0011 (Lose credit if PHY 1 is taken at Tufts.) |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSY 0001 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 2 | 0 | SPN 0001 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 0 | SPN 0002 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 0 | SPN 0003 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 0 | SPN 0004 |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | MATH 0021 (Awards general credit for Engineering students; does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.) |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | PS AP (A max of 3 credits and one course equivalent can be awarded for political science AP Exams. Cannot be used towards the major.) |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HIST AP (A max of 6.0 Semester Hour Units in total can be awarded for history AP Exams.) |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HIST AP (A max of 6.0 Semester Hour Units in total can be awarded for history AP Exams.) |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
94%
Come back for a second year
96%
Typical earnings
$89,187
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Tufts University$128,212
- All colleges$89,628
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 21 majors here have earnings data.
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 Tufts University. The Tufts University logo is a trademark of the college.