About

About Reed College

liberal arts collegethesis requiredsmall class sizesportland oregonhumanities and sciences focus

Reed College is a private liberal arts college in Portland, OR, known for its liberal arts college, thesis required, and small class sizes. With an acceptance rate of 31%, Reed College is selective, typically enrolling around 394 students each year. Reed College is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1310–1490, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. Reed College meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; the average net price for families earning under $30,000 is $12,674.

Admissions

Reed College acceptance rate and admitted student profile

selective

31%
Overall Accept Rate
4.00
Typical Admitted GPA
1400
Median Admitted SAT
GPATypical admitted range: 3.75 – 4.00 unweighted

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SATSubmitted score range: 1310 – 1490 (test optional)

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Reed College

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Reed's essays are the most critical part of your application, so write with genuine intellectual curiosity and show how you think through complex ideas, not just what you have accomplished. Admissions readers want to see that you will thrive in Reed's discussion-heavy, thesis-driven academic culture.
Application Strategy
Explicitly connect your academic interests to Reed's conference-style classes and the senior thesis requirement in your application materials, because Reed wants students who actively want that model, not students who simply want a liberal arts education in general.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Reed College actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Meets 100% of demonstrated need: Reed College meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. Reed College's sticker price of ~$81k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$81k/yr$12.7k
30k-48k~$81k/yr$12.5k
48k-75k~$81k/yr$14.5k
75k-110k~$81k/yr$23.4k
110k+~$81k/yr$46.7k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

76%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$39k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
9:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
1,440
Undergrad Enrollment
Reed College Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch