CostByCollegeAdmissions
Brown acceptance rate
The acceptance rate at Brown University is 5.2% for fall 2023. Out of 51,316 applicants, 2,686 were admitted and 1,695 enrolled.
The application numbers
| Figure | Fall 2023 |
|---|---|
| Applicants, fall 2023 | 51,316 |
| Admitted, fall 2023 | 2,686 |
| Acceptance rate, fall 2023 | 5.2% |
| Admitted students who enrolled, fall 2023 | 1,695 |
How this rate compares
Against the Rhode Island pilot school average of 32.0%, the rate at Brown University is 26.8 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Against the national pilot school average of 53.0%, the rate at Brown University is 47.8 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a rate, 3 schools in Rhode Island 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 Brown University.
Similar schools to compare
- Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island. Total cost $81,810 for one year.
- University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island. Total cost $34,994 for one year.
- Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts. Total cost $84,731 for one year.
- University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Total cost $90,360 for one year.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Total cost $82,730 for one year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Brown?
The acceptance rate at Brown University is 5.2% for fall 2023. It is the number admitted, 2,686, divided by the number who applied, 51,316.
How many students apply to Brown each year?
In fall 2023, 51,316 students applied to Brown University, 2,686 were admitted, and 1,695 admitted students enrolled.
How selective is Brown compared with other schools in Rhode Island?
The average acceptance rate across the pilot schools in Rhode Island that publish a rate is 32.0%, and the national average across the pilot schools on this site is 53.0%. The rate at Brown University is 5.2%.
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 Brown cost?
The total cost for one year at Brown University is $87,648 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 Brown?
The graduation rate at Brown University 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.