Wellesley College Acceptance Rate
Wellesley, Massachusetts · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 8,184
- Admitted
- 1,138
- Yield
- 50.4%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Wellesley College's acceptance rate has fallen from 30.1% in 2014–15 to 13.9% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 4,710 to 8,184 (+74%) over that period.
Its 13.9% rate makes Wellesley College more selective than about 96% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 61 tracked Massachusetts schools, it is more selective than about 87%.
Wellesley College has been test-optional since 2020–21. Of admitted students, 50.4% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 4,710 | 1,418 | 30.1% | 593 |
| 2015–16 | 4,623 | 1,380 | 29.9% | 595 |
| 2016–17 | 4,854 | 1,388 | 28.6% | 590 |
| 2017–18 | 5,666 | 1,251 | 22.1% | 605 |
| 2018–19 | 6,631 | 1,296 | 19.5% | 614 |
| 2019–20 | 6,395 | 1,379 | 21.6% | 612 |
| 2020–21 | 6,581 | 1,343 | 20.4% | 580 |
| 2021–22 | 7,663 | 1,240 | 16.2% | 606 |
| 2022–23 | 8,491 | 1,152 | 13.6% | 585 |
| 2023–24 | 8,184 | 1,138 | 13.9% | 573 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 8,184 | 1,138 | 13.9% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 720–770 | 42% |
| SAT Math | 720–780 | |
| ACT Composite | 33–35 | 17% |
How Wellesley College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Wellesley College's acceptance rate?
Wellesley College's acceptance rate is 13.9% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (1,138 admitted of 8,184 applicants).
Is Wellesley College test optional?
Wellesley College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Wellesley College?
Wellesley College received 8,184 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 1,138.
What SAT score do you need for Wellesley College?
Admitted students at Wellesley College typically scored 720–770 on SAT Reading/Writing and 720–780 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Wellesley College getting harder to get into?
Wellesley College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 30.1% in 2014–15 to 13.9% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.wellesley.edu/.