Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college just north of Charlotte in Davidson, North Carolina, known for its honor code, Presbyterian roots, and a commitment to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need with no loans. With roughly 1,860 undergraduates and an 8-to-1 student-faculty ratio, Davidson centers on small, discussion-driven classes — about three-quarters of its sections enroll fewer than 20 students. Admission is highly selective: Davidson admitted about 12.6% of nearly 8,900 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years who submitted scores posted middle-50% SATs of 1410–1500 and 32–34 on the ACT, with an average high school GPA of 3.85. The social sciences are the most-conferred field, and Davidson remains test-optional while offering two binding Early Decision rounds.
See how Davidson compares
Pick up to two rivals — or search any school.
Davidson admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Davidson offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~2.9× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized Tests
Davidson is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Admissions Factors
How Davidson weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Davidson's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
Writing your Davidson application essay?
Esslo gives you line-by-line feedback on your Common App and supplemental essays — so your application stands out at Davidson and beyond.
Frequently asked questions about Davidson admissions
Is it hard to get into Davidson College?＋
Yes — Davidson is highly selective, admitting about 12.6% of applicants in the most recent cycle. It offered admission to roughly 1,127 of nearly 8,900 applicants and enrolled about 531 first-years. With admission this competitive, Davidson weighs the rigor of your high school record, recommendations, and personal qualities as very important factors.
What GPA do you need to get into Davidson College?＋
Admitted first-years at Davidson average about a 3.85 high school GPA on a 4.0 scale. There is no hard cutoff, but the rigor of your course load is weighed as a very important factor alongside your grades, so a demanding schedule matters as much as the number.
Is a 1490 SAT good enough for Davidson College?＋
A 1490 is competitive — it sits in the upper half of enrolled students who submitted scores, just below the 75th percentile of 1500. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1410–1500 on the SAT and 32–34 on the ACT. Davidson is also test-optional, so strong applicants can apply without scores at all.
Does Davidson College require the SAT or ACT?＋
No. Davidson is test-optional, so you may apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores. Among enrolled first-years who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1410–1500 on the SAT and 32–34 on the ACT, and standardized test scores are only a considered factor in the review.
What is Davidson College's Early Decision acceptance rate?＋
Davidson offers two binding Early Decision rounds (ED I and ED II) and no Early Action. Its most recent ED pool drew 1,232 applications and admitted 358 — an ED admit rate of roughly 29%, well above the overall 12.6% rate, so applying ED is a meaningful signal of interest for a top-choice applicant.
How much does Davidson College cost, and is financial aid available?＋
Tuition and required fees run about $73,990 per year, with the total cost of attendance higher once housing and food (about $18,780 for first-years) are added. Davidson meets 100% of demonstrated financial need with a no-loan aid program; about 57% of first-years receive aid, with an average first-year package near $74,826.
What are the most popular majors at Davidson College?＋
The social sciences are the single most popular area at about 23% of degrees, followed by the biological sciences (13%) and psychology (11%). Computer science and English round out the most-conferred fields, reflecting Davidson's breadth as a liberal arts college.
Does the application essay matter at Davidson College?＋
Yes. Davidson rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review — above test scores, which are only considered, and just below the very important factors of course rigor, recommendations, and personal qualities. With a 12.6% admit rate, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest places to stand out.
Source: Davidson College Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-08. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Davidson. Banner photo by Dacoslett, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).