ACCEPTANCE RATE
5.2%
More selective than 99% of listed universities.
Brown University is a leading private nonprofit research university in Providence, Rhode Island, known for its student-centered learning and the flexible Open Curriculum.
THE SIGNATURE
Explore university facts, programs, and campus life at a glance.
Founded in 1764, Brown University stands as a premier institution where curiosity, creativity, and intellectual joy drive academic excellence. The campus fosters an environment of intense collaboration and intellectual discovery, encouraging students to transcend traditional boundaries between fields of study.
This unique approach prepares undergraduates to be independent, innovative leaders ready to tackle complex global challenges. The university offers undergraduate programs through the College as well as graduate schools including the Warren Alpert Medical School, School of Engineering, School of Public Health, and the Watson School of International and Public Affairs.
GETTING IN
Brown University admits a select group of students from a pool of 51,316 applicants, with an acceptance rate of 5.2 percent. Admitted students typically demonstrate strong academic preparation, as indicated by a math SAT midpoint of 780 for the entering class.
Source: IPEDS 2023
ACCEPTANCE RATE
5.2%
More selective than 99% of listed universities.
SAT RANGE (MID 50%)
1,500–1,570
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Early Decision Nov 1
Undergraduate application fee $75.
WHAT IT COSTS
Sticker price tells you little — net price after aid is what most families actually pay.
Source: IPEDS 2023
IN-STATE TUITION & FEES
$68,230/yr
Out-of-state: $68,230/yr.
Net price by income band
AVERAGE NET PRICE AFTER AID
$26,608/yr
Average grant or scholarship aid $56,234.
IN THE CLASSROOM
Academics at Brown are rooted in its innovative Open Curriculum, a flexible yet rigorous approach that allows undergraduates to study what they choose and discover their passions. The university supports diverse areas of inquiry through world-renowned faculty and research centers focused on fields ranging from brain science and engineering to public health and international affairs.
Source: IPEDS 2023
Student–faculty ratio
6:1
67.7% of classes have fewer than 20 students.
6-year graduation rate
96%
▲ 0 pts since 2016
First-year retention
99%
Median across 34 institutions in our national dataset: 89%.
Bachelor-level fields offered
88
Bachelor-level fields reported as offered in IPEDS
Share of bachelor's degree completions, not of all enrolled students.
CAMPUS LIFE
Reported capacity of institution-controlled housing and campus setting. Capacity does not indicate how many students currently live in university housing.
University-controlled housing capacity
5,336
Includes institution-controlled housing; it may extend beyond campus.
Setting
city, midsize
AFTER GRADUATION
Earnings and employment of former students after entering the university.
Source: College Scorecard 2025
Median earnings · 10 yrs after entry
$93,487
Median earnings of former students working and not enrolled, ten years after entry.
Working after 10 yrs
64.8%
Share of former students working and not enrolled, ten years after entry.
Earning more than a high-school graduate
91.6%
91.6% of former students earn above the Scorecard high-school earnings threshold, ten years after entry.
Data Sources: U.S. Department of Education IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics, and College Scorecard. University Apartments is not affiliated with Brown University.