Vanderbilt University
A strong choice. It ranks 30 of 1,755 four-year colleges on student outcomes, with an overall score of 93.4 out of 100.
These three answers are rules of thumb from the numbers below, not advice for any one student or major.
What do students really think?
You have seen the federal numbers for Vanderbilt University. Now hear from people who went there, or add your own experience. Anonymous, no account.
Would you choose it again? That is the first question the rating form asks.
Why it is good
- 93% of students graduate, better than 97% of four-year colleges.
- It beats expectations: it graduates 27 points more students than is typical for a college enrolling the same share of low-income students (93% against an expected 66%; the estimate is rough, with a typical error of about 16 points).
- Students stay: 96% of first-year students return for a second year, better than 94% of four-year colleges.
- Strong pay: typical earnings ten years after starting are $99,080, higher than 96% of four-year colleges.
- Earnings beat expectations by about $29,470 a year for a college with its student mix (the estimate is rough, with a typical error of about $15,000).
- Debt is manageable: graduates owe a typical $15,000 in federal loans against earnings of $99,080.
- Affordable: the average student pays about $15,497 a year after grants, cheaper than 69% of four-year colleges.
Why it is bad
Nothing stands out as clearly worse than similar colleges.
The numbers
What these figures measure
Graduation rate: share of all students, full-time or part-time, who finish within 8 years. Return for year 2: share of first-time, full-time students who come back for a second year. Earnings: median pay about 10 years after starting, for students who received federal aid. Debt: median federal loan debt among those who finish. Net price: average yearly cost after grants and scholarships. All from the U.S. Education Department College Scorecard, institution file dated November 2, 2026.
Programs and early earnings
Bachelor's degrees: largest programs
| Field | Graduates a year | Earnings, 2 yrs after | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences, General | 302 | $56,544 | $15,000 |
| Economics | 286 | $72,134 | $13,875 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 263 | $41,007 | $14,620 |
| Computer Science | 198 | $102,409 | $15,000 |
| Mathematics | 157 | $80,309 | $18,000 |
| Political Science and Government | 130 | $43,798 | $14,788 |
| Psychology, General | 113 | $31,305 | $11,250 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 112 | $25,194 | $13,000 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 74 | $16,663 | $17,125 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 56 | $70,680 | n/a |
| Music | 56 | $25,596 | $8,207 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 54 | $69,817 | n/a |
Earnings are the median pay two years after completing, for graduates who were working and not enrolled again. The federal government hides figures for small programs, shown as n/a. Fields are broad groups, so a college may offer several majors inside one.
Students and reviews
Numbers cannot tell you about teaching, dorms or campus life. Read and write anonymous student reviews for Vanderbilt University, or ask and answer questions about it. Other sources:
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The grade reflects outcomes for the average student compared with other four-year colleges. Individual majors can be much better or worse.