Private nonprofit · University

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts · Large suburb

11.5%
Admit rate
$39,998
Avg net price
94%
Graduation rate
$83,214
Median earnings

Tufts University is a private nonprofit bachelor's-granting institution in Medford, Massachusetts (large suburb setting), enrolling 7,061 undergraduates.

Private nonprofitMidsize · 7,061 undergradsLarge suburbHighly selective · 11% admitNCAA Division III with football · New England Small College Athletic ConferenceCold wintersSnowyNear the coast

Will you get in?

See where your numbers land against Tufts University's admitted students.

Admit rate
11.5%
SAT (mid 50%)
1470–1560
Avg GPA (est.)
4.00

Enter a test score to see where you land against Tufts University's admitted students.

A guide, not a prediction. It compares your numbers with the middle 50% of admitted students and Tufts University's overall admit rate — it can't see essays, recommendations, activities, or your intended major, which all move real decisions.

About Medford, Massachusetts

Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the time of European contact and exploration, Medford was the winter home of the Naumkeag people, who farmed corn and created fishing weirs at multiple sites along the Mystic River. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Large suburb
Highest degree offered
Graduate
Nearest big city
5 miles to Boston, MA
To the ocean
5 miles
Nearest airport
6 miles to Boston Logan (BOS) · major hub

How Tufts University compares

View 91 more ranking appearances
#37 · Private Nonprofit Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #53 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #22 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Graduation Rates #36 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Retention Rates #37 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Student Debt #37 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #67 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #22 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #40 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #50 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #43 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #57 · Colleges with the Highest First-Year Retention Rates #67 · Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #77 · Colleges with the Highest Six-Year Former-Student Earnings #2 · Colleges with the Highest Loan Repayment Rates #34 · Colleges with the Highest Four-Year Graduation Rates #6 · Colleges with the Highest Pell Recipient Completion Rates #20 · Colleges with the Highest First-Generation Completion Rates #39 · Colleges with the Largest Average Institutional Grants #87 · Colleges with the Most Out-of-State Freshmen #45 · Colleges with the Most International Freshmen #31 · Colleges with the Highest Average SAT Scores #22 · Colleges with the Highest ACT Midpoint Scores #26 · Colleges Offering the Most Varsity Sports #18 · Colleges with the Most Varsity Sports Participation Entries #14 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in Massachusetts #52 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in Massachusetts #5 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in Massachusetts #6 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in Massachusetts #9 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in Massachusetts #43 · Best Colleges in the Northeast #14 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Northeast #21 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Northeast #37 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Northeast #43 · Best Colleges on the East Coast #18 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the East Coast #32 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the East Coast #39 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the East Coast #22 · Best Colleges in New England #92 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in New England #9 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in New England #13 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in New England #12 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in New England #73 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in New England #16 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Boston, MA #16 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Providence, RI #16 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Worcester, MA #11 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Manchester, NH #64 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #69 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #32 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #27 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #18 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #34 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #16 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #69 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #74 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #46 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #31 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #24 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #66 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #27 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #6 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #6 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #11 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #4 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #31 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #81 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #24 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #29 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #9 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #37 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #38 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #27 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #16 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #39 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #38 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #38 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #2 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #57 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #8 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #10 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #33 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #12 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #48 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #38 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #1 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #14 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #1 · Bachelor's Film/Video and Photographic Arts Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #26 · Bachelor's Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings
Selectivity11.5%

More selective than 97% · #7 most selective of 63 in Massachusetts

SAT average1513

Higher than 97%

Graduation rate94%

Higher than 97% · #6 of 66 in Massachusetts

First-year retention96%

Higher than 93%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$83,214

Higher than 93% · #16 of 67 in Massachusetts

Average net price$39,998

Cheaper than 4% · #57 cheapest of 65 in Massachusetts

Median debt at graduation$16,250

Lower than 88%

Student–faculty ratio10 : 1

Lower than 76%

Undergraduate enrollment7,061

Larger than 84%

Percentiles compare Tufts University with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in Massachusetts.

Tufts University campus

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

13,534students
  • Undergraduate7,06152%
  • Graduate6,47348%

Undergraduates by gender

7,061undergrads
  • Women3,23546%
  • Men3,82654%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White41%
  • Black6.1%
  • Hispanic10%
  • Asian17%
  • Other or multiracial26%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
7,061
Graduate enrollment
6,473
Student–faculty ratio
10 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
12%
First-generation students
15%
Students over 25
1%
Median family income
$85,930
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$127,845
Endowment
$2,533,755,000

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 1,735 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From Massachusetts22%
  • Other U.S. states64%
  • International13%

A national draw — only 22% of first-years come from Massachusetts; 64% arrive from other states.

13% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
11.5%
Test scores
Considered but not required
SAT range (25th–75th %)
1470–1560
SAT average
1513
SAT reading
720–770
SAT math
750–790
ACT composite
33–35
Average GPA (estimated)
4.00

Cost

In-state tuition
$70,704
Room & board
$18,588
Books & supplies
$1,000
Total cost of attendance
$88,300
Average net price
$39,998

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
94%
Graduated on time (4 years)
83%
First-year retention
96%
Transferred to another college
5%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$68,337
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$83,214
Median debt at graduation
$16,250
Students with federal loans
19%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
91%

About 11% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
83%
Low-income (Pell)
90%
First-generation
86%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
4,210
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
60%
Housing charge (year)
$9,622
Meal plan (year)
$8,038
Application fee
$75
Athletics
NCAA Division III with football
Football conference
New England Small College Athletic Conference
Varsity athletes
1,072 (594 men · 478 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (17)

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)307
Rowing100
Football93
Lacrosse93
Sailing75
Swimming and Diving (combined)72
Soccer64
Baseball47
Basketball34
Ice Hockey31
Squash30
Tennis29
Field Hockey25
Volleyball21
Softball20
Fencing16
Golf15

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
C
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
2.2 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
43
Property offenses (2022–2024)
46

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 5 campuses (13,599 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

30reported offenses a year
14 violent a year15 property a year

By offense type, per year

Burglary
11
Fondling
5.0
Motor vehicle theft
4.7
Rape
4.3
Aggravated assault
4.0
Robbery
1.0

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$11,284
$30–48k
$9,811
$48–75k
$14,923
$75–110k
$23,311
$110k+
$58,570

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$62,306

$14,923/year × about 4.2 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

41%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$49,709
average award, among those who get one

A meaningful share of freshmen — 41% — get grant money from Tufts University itself, averaging $49,709, which softens the sticker price.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 1,666 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$83,214
Typical debt at graduation
$16,250
Debt vs. one year's pay
20%
Out-earn a HS grad
80%

Typical debt would take roughly 2.0 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$76,699
Men
$91,068

Men out-earn women by $14,369 (19%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
82°F
Winter low
23°F
Annual rain
43.6″
Annual snow
49.2″

Average temperature

HighLow
10°50°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.14.3JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Boston Logan Intl AP, MA US station (6.4 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to Tufts University

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Tufts University side by side →

Colleges near Tufts University

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.