Is Bates or Davidson harder to get into?

Bates is harder to get into than Davidson. Bates's 13.3% acceptance rate is lower than Davidson's 13.4%.

Which is cheaper, Bates or Davidson?

Davidson costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Davidson's average net price is $17,379 vs $29,351 at Bates.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Bates or Davidson?

Davidson graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $69,498 at Bates and $81,400 at Davidson.

Bates vs. Davidson: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Bates	Davidson
Acceptance rate	13.3%	13.4%
SAT mid-50%	1420–1530	1400–1530
ACT mid-50%	31–34	31–34
Cost of attendance	$83,532	$79,475
Avg net price (after aid)	$29,351	$17,379
Undergrad enrollment	1,760	1,867
6-yr graduation rate	89.7%	91.1%
Median earnings (10yr)	$69,498	$81,400
Setting	Lewiston, Maine	Davidson, North Carolina

The Real Differences

Selectivity is essentially the same. Bates's 13.3% acceptance rate and Davidson's 13.4% are within a percentage point of each other. For an unhooked applicant, the difference is statistical noise. Apply to whichever you genuinely prefer.

Davidson is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $11,972 per year, $47,888 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Davidson graduates earn $11,902 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Bates grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Bates is in Lewiston, Maine; Davidson is in Davidson, North Carolina. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. Bates is 51.8% women, 9.8% international, and 6.6% Asian-American. Davidson is 53.0% women, 10.7% international, and 5.3% Asian-American.

Demographic	Bates	Davidson
Women	51.8%	53.0%
International	9.8%	10.7%
White	60.2%	60.4%
Asian	6.6%	5.3%
Hispanic	9.7%	11.1%
Black	4.5%	6.9%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Bates vs. Davidson?

Get a probability for both schools calibrated to your full profile, not the headline rate.

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The Verdict

Pick Bates if

its Short Term May program

Pick Davidson if

Your odds are realistic at Davidson (slightly easier admit)
Net price matters: Davidson costs $11,972 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($81,400 vs $69,498)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
its Honor Code

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

Bates College

13.3% accept · Lewiston, Maine

Full profile

Davidson College

13.4% accept · Davidson, North Carolina

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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Bates College vs. Davidson College