Stanford University
Private nonprofit four-year university in Stanford, CA that costs an average of $12,307 a year after financial aid, admits 3.6% of applicants and graduates 92% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$12,307
Acceptance rate
3.6%
Graduation rate
92%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$125,340
Private nonprofitLarge suburb7,554 undergraduates
Cost of Stanford University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $92,892 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $68,544 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $22,167 |
| Books and supplies | $840 |
| Average net price after aid | $12,307 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $1,067 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $6,603 |
| $110,001+ | $47,575 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Stanford University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 3.6% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,553 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 740–780 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 770–800 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 34–35 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 92% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 98% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $112,810 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $125,340 |
| Rank in California (earnings) | 5th of 129 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $10,750 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $122 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 22% |
| Students with federal loans | 6.6% |
Majors and programs at Stanford University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (52)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 634 | $157,763 | $12,000 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 115 | $110,280 | — |
| Economics | 229 | $108,498 | — |
| Cognitive Science | 185 | $105,925 | $8,420 |
| Science, Technology and Society | 67 | $85,484 | — |
| Engineering, Other | 206 | $72,063 | — |
| Human Biology | 273 | $52,843 | $12,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 56 | $48,283 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 160 | $47,352 | $10,917 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 136 | $40,983 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 26 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 16 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 66 | — | — |
| Archeology | 5 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 25 | — | — |
| Biology | 135 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 81 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 21 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 32 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 19 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 33 | — | — |
| Data Science | 4 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 15 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 70 | — | — |
| Energy Systems Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 86 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 19 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 33 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 69 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | — | — |
| History | 46 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 123 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 42 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 24 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 124 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 112 | — | — |
| Music | 18 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 44 | — | — |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other | 3 | — | — |
| Physics | 64 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 31 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 12 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | — | — |
| Sociology | 33 | — | — |
| Systems Science and Theory | 14 | — | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 19 | — | — |
Master's degree programs (73)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 74 | $230,298 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 1,004 | $206,046 | $46,992 |
| Computer Science | 817 | $190,776 | $33,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 272 | $170,593 | $41,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 53 | $162,219 | $203,896 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 237 | $161,521 | — |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | — | $152,586 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 296 | $138,150 | $64,725 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 123 | $132,178 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 388 | $88,016 | $49,079 |
| Education | 233 | $73,527 | $17,500 |
| Anthropology | 7 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 98 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 70 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Biology | 48 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 60 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 51 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 8 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 11 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | — | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | — | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 9 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 64 | — | — |
| Economics | 16 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 67 | — | — |
| Energy Systems Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 33 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 7 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 13 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 13 | — | — |
| Genetics | 31 | — | $135,831 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 77 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| History | 20 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 50 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 177 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 20 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 8 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 107 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 3 | — | — |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | — | — | — |
| Music | 24 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 57 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 1 | — | — |
| Petroleum Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 10 | — | — |
| Physics | 35 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 16 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Health | 66 | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 55 | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 58 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 12 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | — | — |
| Sociology | 39 | — | — |
| Statistics | 114 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 63 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | — | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (55)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 128 | $219,213 | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 37 | $134,925 | — |
| Chemistry | 73 | $110,313 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 41 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 12 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 30 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 34 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 14 | — | — |
| Biology | 57 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 48 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 8 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 51 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 106 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 7 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 6 | — | — |
| Economics | 50 | — | — |
| Education | 53 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 26 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 27 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 13 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 7 | — | — |
| Genetics | 22 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 44 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 5 | — | — |
| History | 20 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 23 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 43 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 32 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 31 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 98 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 13 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 33 | — | — |
| Music | 16 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 12 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 25 | — | — |
| Petroleum Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 13 | — | — |
| Physics | 103 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 21 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 34 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Health | 6 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 6 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 22 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 5 | — | — |
| Sociology | 19 | — | — |
| Statistics | 19 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 382 | $149,637 | $152,747 |
| Medicine | 163 | $86,231 | $142,993 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (7)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | — | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | — | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Petroleum Engineering | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in California
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapman University | Orange | $46,708 | 65% | $80,694 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | $50,518 | 45% | $86,034 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | $24,138 | 85% | $67,633 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | $36,116 | 48% | $117,193 |
| University of San Diego | San Diego | $29,539 | 52% | $93,069 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | $30,496 | 62% | $94,613 |
| National University | San Diego | $24,008 | — | $73,988 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu | $48,065 | 63% | $89,410 |
About Stanford University
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Stanford, CA |
| Setting | Large suburb |
| Undergraduates | 7,554 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 6 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
| Website | stanford.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Stanford University's acceptance rate?
Stanford University admits 3.6% of applicants, making it highly selective. Admitted students average 1,553 on the SAT.
How much does Stanford University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $92,892 a year (tuition and fees: $68,544). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $12,307 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $1,067.
How much do Stanford University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $125,340 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 5th of 129 similar colleges in California. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer science ($157,763 a year after graduation).
What is Stanford University's graduation rate?
92% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% of first-year students return for a second year.