CostByCollegeAdmissions
Bowdoin acceptance rate
The acceptance rate at Bowdoin College is 8.0% for fall 2023. Out of 10,966 applicants, 879 were admitted and 504 enrolled.
The application numbers
| Figure | Fall 2023 |
|---|---|
| Applicants, fall 2023 | 10,966 |
| Admitted, fall 2023 | 879 |
| Acceptance rate, fall 2023 | 8.0% |
| Admitted students who enrolled, fall 2023 | 504 |
How this rate compares
Against the Maine pilot school average of 30.9%, the rate at Bowdoin College is 22.9 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Against the national pilot school average of 53.0%, the rate at Bowdoin College is 45.0 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a rate, 4 schools in Maine and 235 schools nationwide on this site.
What the acceptance rate does and does not mean
The acceptance rate is the share of applicants who were offered a place. It is worked out by dividing the number of students admitted by the number who applied, for fall 2023.
A low rate means many more people applied than the school could admit. It does not by itself prove that a school is better, that teaching is stronger, or that graduates earn more. Some schools draw very large applicant pools because applying is free or simple, and some excellent schools admit a large share of a smaller, well matched pool.
A high rate does not mean admission is automatic. Schools still set entry requirements, and popular programs inside a school can be far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests. The rate also says nothing about cost. Read it beside the total cost, the average net price, and the outcomes on the cost page for Bowdoin College.
Similar schools to compare
- Colby College, Waterville, Maine. Total cost $85,420 for one year.
- Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. Total cost $83,532 for one year.
- University of Maine, Orono, Maine. Total cost $28,572 for one year.
- Barnard College, New York, New York. Total cost $89,808 for one year.
- Rice University, Houston, Texas. Total cost $78,278 for one year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Bowdoin?
The acceptance rate at Bowdoin College is 8.0% for fall 2023. It is the number admitted, 879, divided by the number who applied, 10,966.
How many students apply to Bowdoin each year?
In fall 2023, 10,966 students applied to Bowdoin College, 879 were admitted, and 504 admitted students enrolled.
How selective is Bowdoin compared with other schools in Maine?
The average acceptance rate across the pilot schools in Maine that publish a rate is 30.9%, and the national average across the pilot schools on this site is 53.0%. The rate at Bowdoin College is 8.0%.
Does a low acceptance rate mean a school is better?
No. A low rate means far more people applied than the school could admit. It says nothing on its own about teaching quality, cost, or graduate earnings, which is why this site prints the rate beside cost and outcomes figures.
How much does Bowdoin cost?
The total cost for one year at Bowdoin College is $85,100 for in state students. The cost page on this site breaks that total into tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses.
What is the graduation rate at Bowdoin?
The graduation rate at Bowdoin College is 96%, measuring the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.
Sources: the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, United States Department of Education. Admissions figures are for fall 2023. See the methodology page for full detail.