Is Bates or Wellesley harder to get into?

Bates is harder to get into than Wellesley. Bates's 13.3% acceptance rate is lower than Wellesley's 14.1%.

Which is cheaper, Bates or Wellesley?

Wellesley costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Wellesley's average net price is $25,496 vs $29,351 at Bates.

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

Wellesley graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $69,498 at Bates and $84,803 at Wellesley.

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

Metric	Bates	Wellesley
Acceptance rate	13.3%	14.1%
SAT mid-50%	1420–1530	1460–1560
ACT mid-50%	31–34	33–35
Cost of attendance	$83,532	$86,290
Avg net price (after aid)	$29,351	$25,496
Undergrad enrollment	1,760	2,300
6-yr graduation rate	89.7%	91.5%
Median earnings (10yr)	$69,498	$84,803
Setting	Lewiston, Maine	Wellesley, Massachusetts

The Real Differences

Selectivity is essentially the same. Bates's 13.3% acceptance rate and Wellesley's 14.1% are within a percentage point of each other. For an unhooked applicant, the difference is statistical noise. Apply to whichever you genuinely prefer.

Wellesley draws stronger test scores. Mid-50% SAT range tops out at 1560 vs 1530 at the other school. Differences in test profile usually reflect a school's STEM-vs-humanities mix and the self-selection of applicants, not raw academic quality.

Wellesley graduates earn $15,305 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; Wellesley is in Wellesley, Massachusetts. 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. Wellesley is 99.9% women, 13.4% international, and 25.7% Asian-American.

Demographic	Bates	Wellesley
Women	51.8%	99.9%
International	9.8%	13.4%
White	60.2%	29.8%
Asian	6.6%	25.7%
Hispanic	9.7%	14.4%
Black	4.5%	8.4%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Bates vs. Wellesley?

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 Wellesley if

Your odds are realistic at Wellesley (slightly easier admit)
Net price matters: Wellesley costs $3,855 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($84,803 vs $69,498)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
cross-registration with MIT

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

Wellesley College

14.1% accept · Wellesley, Massachusetts

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. Wellesley College