skip to main content

Williams College

Overview

At a Glance

School type

Private, not-for-profit, 4-year or above

School Size & Setting

Fringe | Town

Students-to-Faculty Ratio

5:1

Religious affliation

Not applicable

Mission Statement

Williams seeks to provide the finest possible liberal arts education by nurturing in students the academic and civic virtues, and their related traits of character. Academic virtues include the capacities to explore widely and deeply, think critically, reason empirically, express clearly and connect ideas creatively. Civic virtues include commitment to engage both the broad public realm and community life, and the skills to do so effectively. These virtues, in turn, have associated traits of character.

Read More
No Information for this section

cost & financial aid

Annual tuition & fees

Undergraduate

In state

$61,770

Out of state

$61,770
Graduate

In state

$61,775

Out of state

$61,775

Financial Aid: Undergraduates

Received financial aid
55%
Type of aid % of students receiving aid Average amount
Federal grants 14.0% $6,122
State/local grants 2.0% $2,844
Institutional grants 44.0% $55,371
Loans 19.0% $4,143

Other Estimated Costs

Housing

$15,530 per year

Books & Supplies

$1,000 per year

Personal Expenses

$2,700 per year

Pay For College with ROTC

Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC) is a college scholarship program that prepares students to become military officers

Learn More About ROTC

Financial aid resources

Paying for college

Learn about different ways to cover costs, incluing financial aid, GI Bills, grants and scholarships

Applying for financial Aid

Review this step-by-step guide on everything you need to do to complete your application.

No Information for this section

Academics

Most Popular Undergraduate majors

  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
  • Psychology, General
  • Political Science and Government, General
  • Mathematics, General
  • History, General
Full List of Majors

Undergraduate Majors X

  • BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
    • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
      • A general program of biology at the introductory, basic level or a program in biology or the biological sciences that is undifferentiated as to title or content. Includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations. See other colleges that offer this major
  • COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES
    • Computer Science
      • A program that focuses on computer theory, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. Includes instruction in the principles of computational science, computer development and programming, and applications to a variety of end-use situations. See other colleges that offer this major
  • ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS
    • English Language and Literature, General
      • A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples. See other colleges that offer this major
  • FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS
    • Comparative Literature
      • A program that focuses on two or more literary traditions in the original languages or in translation. Includes instruction in comparative linguistics; applicable foreign languages; English/French language and literature; literary criticism; and applications to genre, period, national, and textual studies as well as literary forms such as poetry, prose, and drama. See other colleges that offer this major
    • East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
    • Chinese Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the languages of China and associated dialects and literature. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Japanese Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Japanese language. Includes instruction in philology; Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Japanese; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • German Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the German language and related dialects. Includes instruction in philology; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • French Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in philology; Metropolitan French; Canadian French; African and Caribbean Creoles; dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Spanish Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in philology; Modern Castillan; Latin American and regional Spanish dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
  • HISTORY
    • History, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration. See other colleges that offer this major
  • MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
    • Mathematics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Statistics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the relationships between groups of measurements, and similarities and differences, using probability theory and techniques derived from it. Includes instruction in the principles in probability theory, binomial distribution, regression analysis, standard deviation, stochastic processes, Monte Carlo method, Bayesian statistics, non-parametric statistics, sampling theory, and statistical techniques. See other colleges that offer this major
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
  • PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
    • Philosophy
      • A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Religion/Religious Studies
      • A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior. See other colleges that offer this major
  • PHYSICAL SCIENCES
    • Astrophysics
      • A program that focuses on the theoretical and observational study of the structure, properties, and behavior of stars, star systems and clusters, stellar life cycles, and related phenomena. Includes instruction in cosmology, plasma kinetics, stellar physics, convolution and non-equilibrium radiation transfer theory, non-Euclidean geometries, mathematical modeling, galactic structure theory, and relativistic astronomy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chemistry, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Geology/Earth Science, General
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the earth; the forces acting upon it; and the behavior of the solids, liquids and gases comprising it. Includes instruction in historical geology, geomorphology, and sedimentology, the chemistry of rocks and soils, stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, geostatistics, volcanology, glaciology, geophysical principles, and applications to research and industrial problems. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Physics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods. See other colleges that offer this major
  • PSYCHOLOGY
    • Psychology, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods. See other colleges that offer this major
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
    • Anthropology, General
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of mathematical and statistical analysis of economic phenomena and problems. Includes instruction in economic statistics, optimization theory, cost/benefit analysis, price theory, economic modeling, and economic forecasting and evaluation. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Political Science and Government, General
      • A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies of specific political institutions and processes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Sociology, General
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Social Sciences, Other
  • VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
    • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Art/Art Studies, General
      • A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of the visual arts. Includes instruction in art, photography, and other visual communications media. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Music, General
      • A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media. See other colleges that offer this major

Most Popular Graduate programs

  • Development Economics and International Development
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Full List of Programs

Graduate ProgramsX

  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
    • Development Economics and International Development
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of the economic development process and its application to the problems of specific countries and regions. Includes instruction in economic development theory, industrialization, land reform, infrastructural development, investment policy, the role of governments and business in development, international development organizations, and the study of social, health, and environmental influences on economic development. See other colleges that offer this major
  • VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
    • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
      • A program that focuses on the study of the historical development of art as social and intellectual phenomenon, the analysis of works of art, and art conservation. Includes instruction in the theory of art, art history research methods, connoisseurship, the preservation and conservation of works of art, and the study of specific periods, cultures, styles, and themes. See other colleges that offer this major
No Information for this section

Admissions

Undergraduate acceptance rate

Acceptance rate
8.5%
  • Apply 15,321
  • Accepted 1,302
  • Attend 577

Application Fee

Undergraduate
$65
Graduate
$0

Undergraduate application requirements

  • High school transcript

    Required
  • High school GPA

    Not applicable
  • Recommendation letter

    Required
  • Admissions test
    (SAT or ACT)

    Not applicable
  • TOEFL
    (international students)

    Not applicable
  • Completion of college
    prep program

    Not applicable
  • Demonstration of
    competencies

    Not applicable

Average Test Scores

SAT Math
750-790
ACT Composite
34-35
SAT Reading
730-780
No Information for this section

Student Life

Student Demographics

Female Students
53%
Male Students
47%

Student Ethnicities
  1. Caucasian47.52%
  2. Two Or More Ethnicities17.41%
  3. Asian13.19%
  4. Hispanic/Latino12.47%
  5. Black5.04%
  6. Not Specified4.32%
  7. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.05%

Student body breakdown

Total students enrolled

2,277

Undergraduate students

2,227

Graduate students

50

Full Time Students
99%
Part Time Students
1%

Student services

  • Meal plan
  • Counseling services
  • Remedial services
  • Work-study
  • Placement services
  • Study abroad
  • Weekend/evening classes
  • On-campus day care for student's children

Top five largest sports teams

Male sports:
  • Football
  • Track and Field (Outdoor)
  • Track and Field (Indoor)
  • Rowing
  • Lacrosse
Female sports:
  • Track and Field (Outdoor)
  • Track and Field (Indoor)
  • Rowing
  • Soccer
  • Lacrosse
Full List of Athletics

Full List of Athletics X

    • Male

    • Football
    • Track and Field (Outdoor)
    • Track and Field (Indoor)
    • Rowing
    • Lacrosse
    • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    • Soccer
    • Baseball
    • Cross Country
    • Ice Hockey
    • Skiing
    • Wrestling
    • Basketball
    • Golf
    • Squash
    • Tennis
    • Female

    • Track and Field (Indoor)
    • Track and Field (Outdoor)
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Lacrosse
    • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    • Field Hockey
    • Cross Country
    • Ice Hockey
    • Volleyball
    • Softball
    • Skiing
    • Basketball
    • Squash
    • Tennis
    • Golf
No Information for this section