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Davidson College

Davidson, North Carolina 28035

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Sciences-focusedTight-knitSuburbanGreek lifeSports culture

Highly selective — top graduate earnings

Davidson College is a private institution in Davidson with particular strength in biology and psychology. With an average SAT of 1448, the school attracts a competitive applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.9K undergraduates with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. The suburban location offers a balance of campus life and nearby amenities.

92% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $81,400 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $18,127.

Established
1837
Motto
Alenda Lux Ubi Orta Libertas
Mascot
Roary the Wildcat
Type
Private liberal arts college
Conference
Atlantic 10 Conference
Division
Division I

Campus Visits

109 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Jun 1 · Campus Visit

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14%Acceptance
1448SAT Avg
1,901Students
9:1Student:Faculty
92%Grad Rate
$81,400Earnings 10yr
$18,127Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate14.5%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1448

Reading & Writing
690750
Math
670760

ACT Score Range

Composite
3134

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$60,300
Room & Board$16,400
Books & Supplies$1,000
Total Cost of Attendance$75,865
Average Net Price$18,127
Median Debt at Graduation$18,688
Monthly Payment (10yr)$198

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$6,613
$30–48K$3,339
$48–75K$7,610
$75–110K$25,077
$110K+$40,503

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

89.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

4.4%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$16,511

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

14

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

3

Burglary

1

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

1

Motor Vehicle Theft

2

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

4

Drug Arrests

3

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (59)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

95%

Very Positive

Student Body

Undergrads
1,901
Gender Split
53% / 47%
Women / Men
First Generation
16%
Pell Grant Recipients
17%

Race & Ethnicity

White 61%
Black 7%
Hispanic 10%
Asian 6%
Two+ 5%
Int'l 10%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate91.9%
Freshman Retention95.4%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$62,866
10 Years$81,400

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

Rankings

U.S. News
#14
vs 2024
Forbes
#48
vs 2024
Wall Street Journal
#29
vs 2024
Washington Monthly
#12
vs 2024

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Wildcats

BasketballSoccer have

History & Fun Facts

  • History An institution of higher learning of The Presbyterian Church (USA), Davidson College was founded in 1837 by The Concord Presbytery after purchasing 469 acres (1.
  • The first students graduated from Davidson in 1840 and received diplomas with the newly created college seal designed by Peter Stuart Ney, who is believed by some to be Napoleon's Marshal Ney.
  • The college's financial situation improved dramatically in 1856 with a $250,000 donation by Maxwell Chambers, making Davidson the wealthiest college south of Princeton.
  • On November 28, 1921, the Chambers Building was destroyed in a fire but was reconstructed eight years later with funding from the Rockefeller family.
  • In 1923, the Gamma chapter in North Carolina of Phi Beta Kappa was established at Davidson.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

95Average

Estimated from NC state average + suburban adjustment

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 5"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Charlottepop. 880K
19 mi(33 min)
Raleighpop. 470K
125 mi(217 min)
Atlantapop. 500K
235 mi(407 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

CLT Charlotte21 mi
RDU Raleigh-Durham118 mi
RIC Richmond240 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA707 mi · ~20h 25m drive
New York, NY517 mi · ~14h 56m drive
Hartford, CT617 mi · ~17h 49m drive
Providence, RI670 mi · ~19h 21m drive
Albany, NY623 mi · ~18h drive
Syracuse, NY579 mi · ~16h 44m drive
Rochester, NY556 mi · ~16h 4m drive
Buffalo, NY521 mi · ~15h 3m drive
Philadelphia, PA437 mi · ~12h 37m drive
Pittsburgh, PA344 mi · ~9h 56m drive
Harrisburg, PA394 mi · ~11h 23m drive
Newark, NJ512 mi · ~14h 47m drive
Washington, DC315 mi · ~9h 6m drive
Baltimore, MD350 mi · ~10h 7m drive
Atlanta, GA235 mi · ~6h 47m drive
Charlotte, NC19 mi · ~33 min drive
Raleigh, NC125 mi · ~3h 37m drive
Miami, FL674 mi · ~19h 28m drive
Orlando, FL482 mi · ~13h 55m drive
Tampa, FL530 mi · ~15h 19m drive
Nashville, TN336 mi · ~9h 42m drive
New Orleans, LA659 mi · ~19h 2m drive
Richmond, VA236 mi · ~6h 49m drive
Chicago, IL572 mi · ~16h 31m drive
Detroit, MI487 mi · ~14h 4m drive
Minneapolis, MN924 mi · ~26h 42m drive
St. Louis, MO559 mi · ~16h 9m drive
Kansas City, MO794 mi · ~22h 56m drive
Indianapolis, IN414 mi · ~11h 58m drive
Columbus, OH330 mi · ~9h 32m drive
Cleveland, OH417 mi · ~12h 3m drive
Milwaukee, WI643 mi · ~18h 35m drive
Dallas, TX930 mi · ~26h 52m drive
Houston, TX932 mi · ~26h 55m drive
Austin, TX1043 mi · ~30h 8m drive
San Antonio, TX1109 mi · ~32h 2m drive
Los Angeles, CA2112 mi · ~61h 1m drive
San Francisco, CA2291 mi · ~66h 11m drive
San Diego, CA2075 mi · ~59h 57m drive
Seattle, WA2270 mi · ~65h 35m drive
Portland, OR2275 mi · ~65h 43m drive
Denver, CO1349 mi · ~38h 58m drive
Phoenix, AZ1777 mi · ~51h 20m drive
Salt Lake City, UT1717 mi · ~49h 36m drive
Honolulu, HI4669 mi · ~134h 53m drive
Southern (mild winters, hot summers)

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