Dickinson College

Dickinson College Overview

Dickinson College is a private, nonprofit school in a suburban setting in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Dickinson College was founded in 1773 and the school currently enrolls around 2,179 students per year, which includes 2,173 undergraduate students. Dickinson College ensures on-campus housing for up to 2,114 students. The majority of students live on campus, and first year-students are required to live in campus housing. On the weekends, about 98% of students stay on-campus and participate in campus events and social life.

📆 Mark your calendar! January 15, 2023 is the final deadline to submit an application for the Fall 2023 semester. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should hear from Dickinson College by March 23.

Student Involvement at Dickinson College

Love music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of Dickinson College's theater groups.

Are you interested in journalism and communications? Dickinson College students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Interested in Greek life? Dickinson College has both fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? Dickinson College has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Dickinson College on the Student Life page.

Is Dickinson College a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" is different for different people. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a closer look at these factors to get a better sense of what Dickinson College offers and if it could be a good fit for you.

Dickinson College Acceptance Rate 2022

It is very difficult to get into Dickinson College. The acceptance rate at Dickinson College is 48%. Last year, 6,366 students applied to Dickinson College and 3,061 were admitted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Dickinson College

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. Retention measures how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Dickinson College, around 92% are still enrolled their sophomore year. Around 82% of students who started at Dickinson College earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outlook Dickinson College Graduates

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

Check with Dickinson College directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Dickinson College's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

As of 2022, the total market value of Dickinson College's endowment was $576.1 million. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. The school spends $18,719 for each full-time student enrolled.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Dickinson College

Tuition cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

Dickinson College meets 98.7% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $51,324 a year.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2022 was around $28,244 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! No one should ever pay to fill out the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid, (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Dickinson College.

Based on this information, is Dickinson College the school for you? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may be a terrible fit for another! So ask yourself: Is Dickinson College a good school for you?

If Dickinson College seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Researching Schools?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

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Dickinson College Community Forums

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Where is Dickinson College?

Dickinson College is located in the suburban setting of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, less than an hour from Harrisburg.

If you want to see Dickinson College for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 76/81 to Carlisle, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Harrisburg International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Dickinson College and Carlisle are like without leaving home.

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