Portland, OR · Private · 1,320 undergraduates · urban
Reed College
Selective
Reed combines a common first-year humanities course with a required senior thesis, placing sustained reading and self-directed scholarship at opposite ends of the degree.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Strong in academic standing, and strong in career outcomes.- Admission
- 27.2% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 77.6%
10,045 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$62,927 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Reed College apart
Academic design
Humanities 110 gives first-years a shared, interdisciplinary humanities sequence built around lectures, close reading, discussion, and substantial writing.
Campus pattern
Reed's wooded Southeast Portland campus includes Reed Canyon, a restored natural area threaded through the college grounds.
A signature opportunity
Every student completes a senior thesis and oral examination, making a self-directed culminating project a normal graduation requirement.
Can I get in?
27.2% admitted
Reed is test-blind for undergraduate admission, so SAT and ACT scores are not considered even if an applicant submits them.
Recent applicant pool
10,045About 27 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 48% submitted an SAT, and 23% submitted an ACT. Submission rates alone do not settle the choice. Submit a score if it strengthens the application.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Reed College, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Reed College 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
Show preparation for this curriculum
Humanities 110 gives first-years a shared, interdisciplinary humanities sequence built around lectures, close reading, discussion, and substantial writing.
Make institutional fit specific
Reed combines a common first-year humanities course with a required senior thesis, placing sustained reading and self-directed scholarship at opposite ends of the degree.
Use the application route carefully
Reed is test-blind for undergraduate admission, so SAT and ACT scores are not considered even if an applicant submits them.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Reed is test-blind for undergraduate admission, so SAT and ACT scores are not considered even if an applicant submits them.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
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.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Reed College
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. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
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.
Research and Experimental Psychology
Biology, General
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
English Language and Literature, General
What is campus life like?
Reed College beyond the classroom
Reed's wooded Southeast Portland campus includes Reed Canyon, a restored natural area threaded through the college grounds.
A defining academic feature
Humanities 110 gives first-years a shared, interdisciplinary humanities sequence built around lectures, close reading, discussion, and substantial writing.
What shapes an ordinary week
Reed's wooded Southeast Portland campus includes Reed Canyon, a restored natural area threaded through the college grounds.
A reason to look closer
Every student completes a senior thesis and oral examination, making a self-directed culminating project a normal graduation requirement.