Ursinus College

Ursinus College offers very accessible admission compared to its peer institutions, though its ranking has seen a modest decline. In the 2027 U.S. News National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, the institution placed 91st. Getting in has become relatively straightforward, as the college admitted 91.8% of applicants in 2025. Compared to 30 similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges, this acceptance rate is higher than all peer schools. However, the college experiences modest drawing power among accepted students once decisions are released. Its yield rate stood at 12.5% in 2025, which is higher than 28% of peer institutions. This indicates that only about one in eight admitted candidates chooses to matriculate, reflecting strong competition from other colleges for those admitted. For prospective applicants, Ursinus presents a high likelihood of acceptance, though families should recognize that most admitted students evaluate multiple competing options before committing to enroll.

Ursinus College follows a test-optional admissions policy, where standardized test scores are considered if submitted. For applicants evaluating their academic qualifications, enrolled students who submit scores present solid credentials. In 2025, the middle range of enrolled test-takers achieved an ACT composite score between 28 and 32. In that same year, Ursinus reported a median SAT score of 1305, which is higher than 69% of peer schools in its comparison group of similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges. However, standardized testing represents only a small minority of the incoming student body, as only a modest fraction provided SAT results and very few submitted ACT results in 2025. Because score reporting is optional, these results reflect a self-selected group rather than the entire class. Applicants should treat these ranges as general reference benchmarks while focusing their preparation on strong high school coursework and grades.

Graduates at Ursinus College are moderately concentrated across several popular liberal arts and pre-health fields. In 2025, the college conferred 368 bachelor degrees, with the top three majors accounting for 34.2% of all graduates. The largest programs were Biology/Biological Sciences, Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology, and Applied Economics, followed by Mass Communication/Media Studies and Finance. The largest disciplines do not hold elite national positions, as the undergraduate economics program was ranked 222nd in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. Post-graduation compensation differs considerably by academic track. Based on 2023 earnings data measured one year after graduation, Computer Science graduates led all fields with median earnings of $73,058, whereas Biology majors earned a median of $38,673. International students represent a tiny share of degree recipients across all departments, with none graduating from biology or exercise physiology in 2025. For applicants, Ursinus provides established pathways into life sciences and business, but earnings outcomes depend heavily on the chosen discipline.

The student body at Ursinus College is primarily domestic, with total enrollment consisting of 1502 undergraduates in 2025. White students represent the clear majority across both freshman and continuing classes, followed by Black and Hispanic students. Asian and international students make up small segments of the campus community. Within the incoming freshman class, Asian students number 9, representing 2.4% of the cohort, while continuing classes also have modest Asian representation. International presence is equally limited, with only 4 international students entering as freshmen, alongside single-digit enrollments across continuing and transfer cohorts. Ursinus enrolls no graduate students. For prospective applicants, these figures describe a traditional liberal arts environment centered entirely on undergraduate study, where international and Asian students form small minorities within a largely domestic, regional student body.

Ursinus College maintains a student body focused almost exclusively on traditional-age undergraduates. In 2025, the college enrolled 0 graduate students, directing its campus life entirely around its undergraduate population. Among undergraduates, students aged 18 to 19 constituted 46.4% of enrollment, while those aged 20 to 21 made up 44.1%. Students aged 22 to 24 accounted for just 6.8% of the student body. For prospective applicants, this concentrated age demographic means daily life and activities revolve around peers moving through a standard four-year pathway, without the presence of older non-traditional students or graduate researchers.

International student enrollment at Ursinus College remains very small and has contracted in recent years. In 2025, international students accounted for just 0.5% of the undergraduate population, having declined from higher levels a decade earlier. When compared to 30 similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges, this undergraduate international share is higher than 10% of peer institutions. Because the college does not offer graduate degree programs, there is no graduate international student body. This limited presence carries through to completion outcomes. In 2025, international students represented 0.8% of bachelor degree recipients. Among major disciplines, international graduates are virtually absent from the largest programs such as biology, exercise physiology, media studies, and finance. Applied Economics was the only top major with international representation, recording a 3.3% international graduate share. For prospective international applicants, these patterns indicate an environment where international peers are few, meaning students must be comfortable studying within an overwhelmingly domestic undergraduate student body.

Applicants reviewing Ursinus College will find several prominent institutions nearby in suburban southeastern Pennsylvania. Located roughly 12 kilometers away, Villanova University is a private national university ranked 42nd in the 2027 U.S. News National University rankings. Close by in the historic Main Line area are two distinguished liberal arts institutions: Bryn Mawr College, situated about 14 kilometers away and ranked 31st among national liberal arts colleges, and Haverford College, located 15 kilometers away with a national liberal arts ranking of 26th. Slightly further south, about 21 kilometers from Ursinus, stands Swarthmore College, which holds the 3rd spot on the national liberal arts ranking list. These nearby colleges provide families with alternative settings ranging from medium-sized research universities to top-tier liberal arts colleges, all within a short drive of Collegeville.

Campus safety records at Ursinus College show that the vast majority of reported incidents involve institutional disciplinary referrals rather than violent crime. The campus crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 22.6 in 2025, reflecting a significant decline over the past decade. Over the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, policy violations involving alcohol and drugs represented the largest categories on campus. Disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations totaled 166 incidents across those years, while drug disciplinary referrals reached 52 incidents. Interpersonal offenses were reported at much lower frequencies during the same timeframe, including 21 incidents of sexual harassment, alongside smaller counts of dating violence, rape, and stalking. For families and prospective students evaluating campus life, these figures indicate that security concerns at Ursinus center primarily on substance-related conduct infractions managed through disciplinary channels, though interpersonal safety reports also require institutional attention.