Is Middlebury or Williams harder to get into?

Williams is harder to get into than Middlebury. Williams's 8.3% acceptance rate is lower than Middlebury's 10.8%.

Which is cheaper, Middlebury or Williams?

Williams costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Williams's average net price is $17,716 vs $31,483 at Middlebury.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Middlebury or Williams?

Williams graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $76,310 at Middlebury and $88,665 at Williams.

Middlebury vs. Williams: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Middlebury	Williams
Acceptance rate	10.8%	8.3%
SAT mid-50%	1445–1550	1490–1570
ACT mid-50%	33–35	34–35
Cost of attendance	$85,880	$84,860
Avg net price (after aid)	$31,483	$17,716
Undergrad enrollment	2,738	2,076
6-yr graduation rate	91.4%	93.6%
Median earnings (10yr)	$76,310	$88,665
Setting	Middlebury, Vermont	Williamstown, Massachusetts

The Real Differences

Williams is modestly harder to get into. The 2.5-point gap matters at the margin but doesn't change the overall difficulty tier. Both schools draw similar applicant pools and admit similar profiles.

Williams is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $13,767 per year, $55,068 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Williams graduates earn $12,355 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. Middlebury grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Middlebury is in Middlebury, Vermont; Williams is in Williamstown, 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. Middlebury is 53.5% women, 12.3% international, and 7.4% Asian-American. Williams is 52.5% women, 8.8% international, and 12.5% Asian-American.

Demographic	Middlebury	Williams
Women	53.5%	52.5%
International	12.3%	8.8%
White	54.2%	46.6%
Asian	7.4%	12.5%
Hispanic	12.5%	14.1%
Black	5.2%	6.1%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Middlebury vs. Williams?

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The Verdict

Pick Middlebury if

Your odds are realistic at Middlebury (slightly easier admit)
its language schools

Pick Williams if

Net price matters: Williams costs $13,767 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($88,665 vs $76,310)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
tutorials that replicate Oxford-style two-student seminars

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

Middlebury College

10.8% accept · Middlebury, Vermont

Full profile

Williams College

8.3% accept · Williamstown, 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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Middlebury College vs. Williams College