Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts · Private · 2,076 undergraduates · williams.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
8.6%
of 15,520 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1490 to 1550
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$103,630Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Williams 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
8.6% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 8.6% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$103,630
a year in 2027-28, from a $103,630 sticker price
What to do with your 1520
Send your score
About 43% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1430, 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: First-Year - Williams College · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov15Early Decision · November 15, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan4Regular Decision · January 4, 2027The standard deadline.
Source: First-Year - Williams College
Who gets in
8.6%
of applicants were admitted: 1,336 of 15,520 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 27% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
2,193 students were offered a spot; 25 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. 43% of them sent SAT scores and 18% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1490 to 1550
Reading and Writing 740 to 770
Math 740 to 790
ACT composite 33 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160096%
- 1200 to 13993.7%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
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
$103,630
a year
- Tuition$79,350
- Fees$350
- Food and housing$20,090
- Books and supplies$1,040
- Transportation and other$2,800
Williams College published $99,660 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$2,291
- $30,001 to $48,000$3,680
- $48,001 to $75,000$722
- $75,001 to $110,000$5,280
- Over $110,000$43,912
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$80,302
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
0%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need
- FAFSA
- Not required.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid deadline: 5-Jan
- The last day to send aid forms.
- Also asks for
- Signed copy of parents' and student's federal tax returns; if parents are self-employed or involved in a corporation, partnership or S corporation, 2025 federal business tax returns with all schedules and K-1 forms
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP credit
Not given
AP scores may still place you into higher courses.
Placement for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Places you into |
|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 2 | MATH 130 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | MATH 140 |
| Calculus BC | 1 | MATH 130 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 140 |
| Chemistry | 1 | Department assigns |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 1 | Department assigns |
| Computer Science A | 4 | CSCI 134 |
| Computer Science Principles | 1 | Department assigns |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | ENGL 101 |
| Environmental Science | 5 | ENVI 102 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | Department assigns |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | Department assigns |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 1 | Department assigns |
| Latin | 5 | CLLA 201 or 302 |
| Macroeconomics | 1 | Department assigns |
| Microeconomics | 1 | Department assigns |
| Music Theory | 4 | MUS 102 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | Department assigns |
| Physics 2 | 4 | Department assigns |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | Department assigns |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | Department assigns |
| Psychology | 5 | PSYC 101 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | Department assigns |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | Department assigns* |
| Statistics | 4 | Department assigns |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
95%
Come back for a second year
97%
Typical earnings
$95,954
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Williams College$172,984
- All colleges$89,628
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 11 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 Williams College.