Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee · Private · 7,208 undergraduates · vanderbilt.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
5.4%
of 48,196 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1510 to 1560
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$103,990Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Vanderbilt 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
5.4% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 5.4% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$103,990
a year in 2027-28, from a $103,990 sticker price
What to do with your 1530
Send your score
About 54% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1490, 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.
- Self-reported AP exam or SAT Subject test scores may be considered.
Changing for fall 2029: test required.
Source: Testing Policies | Undergraduate Admissions | Vanderbilt University · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan1Early Decision II · January 1, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan1Regular Decision · January 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
5.4%
of applicants were admitted: 2,593 of 48,196 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 14% of early applicants were 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. 24% of them sent SAT scores and 28% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1510 to 1560
Reading and Writing 740 to 770
Math 770 to 790
ACT composite 34 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160098%
- 1200 to 13991.8%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.90
- 4.032%
- 3.75 to 3.9957%
- 3.50 to 3.749.1%
- 3.25 to 3.491.4%
- 3.00 to 3.240.6%
- 2.50 to 2.990.6%
- Below 2.500.1%
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
$103,990
a year
- Tuition$72,610
- Fees$3,520
- Food and housing$24,640
- Books and supplies$1,140
- Transportation and other$2,080
Vanderbilt University published $99,996 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
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$3,637
- $30,001 to $48,000$1,908
- $48,001 to $75,000$5,651
- $75,001 to $110,000$11,284
- Over $110,000$42,583
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$77,563
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
8.2%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $32,791 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: 2/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Vanderbilt National Merit Scholarship (Finalists without another Vanderbilt merit scholarship)
$6,000 a year
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC by National Merit's final deadline.
DetailsVanderbilt National Merit Scholarship (Finalists also receiving another Vanderbilt merit scholarship)
$2,000 a year
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC by National Merit's final deadline.
Details
Tennessee programs for residents
Ned McWherter Scholars Program
$6,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 3.75+ GPA, 1430+ SAT or 32+ ACT, Competitive merit award; application with transcript through first semester of senior year and official ACT/SAT; competitive, limited funding
Aspire Award
State program · In-state students
Up to $750/semester (4-year) or up to $250/semester (2-year) in addition to HOPE
- 3.00+ GPA, 1060+ SAT or 21+ ACT, Need-based HOPE supplement; meet HOPE requirements and parents' (or independent student's and spouse's) AGI of $36,000 or less
General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS)
State program · In-state students
Up to $500/semester in addition to HOPE (including summer)
- 3.75+ GPA, 1330+ SAT or 29+ ACT, HOPE supplement (TN public or category 1-3 private HS graduates); must meet HOPE Scholarship requirements; FAFSA, from Tennessee
Tennessee HOPE Scholarship
State program · In-state students
4-year (and 2-year with housing): up to $2,250/semester freshman & sophomore, up to $2,850/semester junior & senior; 2-year: up to $1,600/semester
- 3.00+ GPA, 1060+ SAT or 21+ ACT, HOPE Scholarship (entering freshmen); enroll within 16 months of HS graduation; FAFSA
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
37 of 37
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,260Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| Art History | 4 | 6 | HART 1110, HART 1105 |
| Biology | 4 | 3 | BSCI 1509 |
| Calculus AB | 5 | 4 | MATH 1300 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 8 | MATH 1300, MATH 1301 - See Note |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 5 | 4 | MATH 1300 - See Note |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHEM 1601, CHEM 1601L and CHEM 1602, CHEM 1602L |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 5 | CHIN 2201 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 5 | CHIN 2202 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | PSCI 1101 |
| Computer Science A | 5 | 3 | CS 1101 |
| Computer Science Principles | 5 | 3 | CS 1000 |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 1300W |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 6 | ENGL 1220W, ENGL 1230W |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| European History | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FREN 2203, FREN 2501W |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | GER 2201, GER 2202 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | ITA 2203, ITA 2501W |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | JAPN 2201 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | JAPN 2202 |
| Latin | 4 | 3 | LAT 2202 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 1010 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 1020 |
| Music Theory | 5 | 3 | MUTH 1200 - see note |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 4 | PHYS 1010, PHYS 1010L - see note |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 4 | Non-equivalent course |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 4 | PHYS 1602, PHYS 1602L |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 4 | PHYS 1601, PHYS 1601L |
| Psychology | 5 | 3 | PSY 1200 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | MATH 1010 - See Note |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | PSCI 1100 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | Non-equivalent course |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
93%
Come back for a second year
96%
Typical earnings
$99,080
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Vanderbilt University$110,484
- All colleges$55,676
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 22 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 Vanderbilt University. The Vanderbilt University logo is a trademark of the college.