Needham, MA · Private · 377 undergraduates · suburban
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Highly selective
Olin makes project-based engineering the starting point, then uses a required second-stage Candidates’ Weekend to evaluate collaboration and community fit.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in academic standing, and exceptional in career outcomes.Undergraduate engineering only, with a half-tuition scholarship for every admitted student.
- Admission
- 21.7% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 95.9%
928 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$129,455 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Olin College of Engineering apart
Academic design
Students begin hands-on engineering projects during their first semester and study programs built around design, teamwork, experimentation, and real-world problem solving.
Admission process
After application review, selected candidates must complete Candidates’ Weekend, including a Design Challenge, individual interview, and group evaluation before final admission.
Defining experience
Candidates’ Weekend turns admission into an interactive two-day process where finalists experience Olin while participating in collaborative and evaluative activities.
Can I get in?
21.7% admitted
After application review, selected candidates must complete Candidates’ Weekend, including a Design Challenge, individual interview, and group evaluation before final admission.
Recent applicant pool
928About 22 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 46% submitted an SAT, and 22% submitted an ACT. Use your score when it adds strength to the application; withhold it when it does not.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Olin College of Engineering, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Olin College of Engineering weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Clear the academic baseline
Students begin hands-on engineering projects during their first semester and study programs built around design, teamwork, experimentation, and real-world problem solving.
Complete the specialized assessment
After application review, selected candidates must complete Candidates’ Weekend, including a Design Challenge, individual interview, and group evaluation before final admission.
Plan the process early
The regular application is only phase one; finalists must keep February or March Candidates’ Weekend availability open to remain under consideration.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
The regular application is only phase one; finalists must keep February or March Candidates’ Weekend availability open to remain under consideration.
Fee waiver: accepted
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering publishes three merit awards, the largest reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year · Has a dated deadline
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year
In the season card
These three awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, what it asks of you, and the date one of them closes - which is usually earlier than the application for admission.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- The deadline
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Olin College of Engineering
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. For specialized training, compare those signals with the professional path you intend to follow.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Engineering, General
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
What is campus life like?
Olin College of Engineering beyond the classroom
The small residential Needham campus sits beside Babson, with cross-registration opportunities extending to neighboring institutions including Babson and Wellesley.
The academic structure
Students begin hands-on engineering projects during their first semester and study programs built around design, teamwork, experimentation, and real-world problem solving.
The campus rhythm
The small residential Needham campus sits beside Babson, with cross-registration opportunities extending to neighboring institutions including Babson and Wellesley.
What changes the experience
Candidates’ Weekend turns admission into an interactive two-day process where finalists experience Olin while participating in collaborative and evaluative activities.