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Bennington College

#270 in US ranking Bennington, VT
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Bennington College award
Bennington College award

Cost

Cost / year
$90,170
Tuition & fees
$68,746
Avg. aid
$52,197
Receiving aid
100%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
45%
SAT range
1291–1403
ACT range
30–32

Outcomes

Graduation rate
71%
Median salary
$25,815
1 yr after graduation

What does Bennington College offer in terms of athletics?

Bennington offers recreational sports and physical activity rather than a conventional NCAA varsity-sports experience. Reported offerings include soccer, volleyball, badminton, equestrian activities, rock climbing, and weight lifting.

Students should distinguish an informal game, a student-organized club, and a scheduled recreational program when assessing how regularly they can participate. Soccer and volleyball also appear among reported student activities. Applicants hoping for varsity recruitment, conference competition, or athletic scholarships should verify that the specific opportunity they want exists rather than assuming it follows from a sport's appearance on a campus activity list.

What student groups and Associations are available at Bennington College?

Bennington students can take part in student governance, arts activities, and interest-based groups. Reported examples include Student Council, the Student Educational Policies Committee (SEPC), and the FLoW Student Collective, alongside soccer and volleyball groups.

The college also reports theater and choral activities and a student-run radio station. Group names, recognition, and activity levels can change from year to year, so a prospective student seeking a particular community should check its recent programming. Student organizations are distinct from academic courses or services operated by the college, even when their interests overlap.

Who studies at Bennington College?

Bennington is a small institution with a reported total enrollment of 927 students. The incoming first-time degree-seeking group numbered 154 in the reported enrollment data, and 57 students entered as transfers.

The student body draws heavily from outside Vermont: reported geographic shares are 5% Vermont residents, 85% students from other U.S. states, and 10% from other countries. Enrollment records also include students beyond the traditional college-entry ages. Those figures describe where students come from and who is enrolled; they do not, by themselves, establish what any student's social or academic experience will be like.

How does student life look like at Bennington College?

Everyday life at Bennington is shaped by its residential campus, small enrollment, and individualized academic structure. Reported figures place 98% of students on campus, so classes, meals, performances, and informal gatherings are closely connected to residential life.

Students can encounter peers through arts programming, governance, recreation, and the shared work of developing a Plan. The college reports a health clinic and personal or psychological counseling services. For a new student, orientation and advising are particularly relevant because academic choices are less prescribed than in a fixed-major curriculum. A commuter or older student may want to ask how to access activities and support that are organized around the residential schedule.

What libraries are available to students at Bennington College?

Crossett Library is Bennington's main library and a central resource for research and study. The college reports two campus libraries, and students can reserve library study rooms.

Students planning a research-intensive Plan should ask library staff about subject databases, journals, research consultations, borrowing, and obtaining material not held locally. Digital access can be especially useful during Field Work Term. Study space is available, but the reported library information does not indicate a study area open around the clock; students who need late-night workspace should check current building hours.

Bennington College Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

927

Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen

161

Total staff

69 full time, 76 part time

Veterans affair office

No

Bennington College Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Undergraduate: 797
Graduate: 130

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 874
Part-time: 53

Full-time degree-seeking students by gender

Women: 115
Men: 46

Students by race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino: 62
Black or African American: 29
White: 449
American Indian or Alaska Native: 1
Asian: 14
Two or more races: 42
Unknown: 10

Freshly enrolled students' age

Under 25 years
Over 25 years

Bennington College Sports & Athletics

Varsity teams compete against other colleges, intramural teams within the school. Each column says whether men, women or both take part, and whether the sport offers athletic scholarships (Aid).

Sport

Varsity Intramural Aid

Soccer

–Both–

Volleyball

–Both–

Weight lifting

–Both–

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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