If your child already knows that they want to study business, keep reading carefully. If they still do not know, this will also help you, because it will help you understand what kind of place this is and what kind of place it is not.
I went through this system as an out-of-state student at a large university that was different from this one. I know what it feels like to arrive without a map. That is why this article will neither sell you anything nor scare you. It will show you what official United States government data say about Babson College, and it will tell you very clearly what each figure means and what it does not mean.
What kind of school it is, in a nutshell
Babson College is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution, with a master's degree as the highest level it reports offering. The federal system that classifies colleges in the United States describes it as a specialized school: the kind that devotes almost all its energy to a single field, in this case business. It also labels it “highly residential”—at least half of undergraduates lived in institution-owned, controlled, or affiliated housing in 2019-20—and places it in the more selective admissions group.
None of these labels tells you how many out of every hundred applicants are admitted. That is a separate piece of information, and we will look at it later. Nor does it tell you whether it makes sense for your child to live there. Living on campus is not the same as paying tuition: room and board are charged separately, and we will look at that too.
The school is in Wellesley, Massachusetts, within Norfolk County, in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metropolitan area. But the census code identifies it as suburban, not as being in a city center. If your child were thinking about living at home, the only way to know whether that is realistic is to drive the route on a weekday at the time when they would have class. The map almost never tells the whole truth about traffic.
And one clarification worth making up front: Babson College has none of these three federal designations: it is not a historically Black college or university, it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Babson's not having one says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly what cultural centers and student organizations exist today.
The community's actual size
Babson had 3,943 students enrolled in the most recent official fall count. That places it in the middle size band, between 1,000 and 4,999 students, and on the larger side compared with similar schools.
But that number hides something important: it is divided into 2,752 undergraduate students and 1,191 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor's degree program, the number that matters to them is not the total; it is 2,752. A substantial part of this community consists of adults who have already completed a bachelor's degree and have returned for a master's degree.
Among undergraduates, 16 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. Compared with 941 similar selective-admissions, private four-year schools, that places Babson in the top quarter: three out of four schools in that group reported an equal or lower proportion. They are not a majority, but they are not an unusual case either. Still, that comparison does not adjust for the part of the country where the school is located, and that carries different weight in Massachusetts than in other states.
There are also more men than women: out of every 100 students, 43 are women. And the percentage of students between the ages of 25 and 64 rounds to zero, which does not mean there are none; it means there are almost none. This is, above all, a young community.
How the academic year works
The calendar follows semesters, two periods of about 15 weeks each. The school accepts credit for AP exams, although it did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is something I want to emphasize because I see it confuse many families: saying that the school accepts AP does not mean it grants credit for every exam or that the credit automatically counts toward your child's degree. Request the transfer-credit evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio, measured in full-time equivalents, is 16 to 1. Compared with similar schools, that puts it in the top quarter: three out of four schools of the same type reported the same ratio or a lower one. Be careful: this does not tell you the size of your child's classes. It is an institution-level calculation, not a classroom measure.
As for structured academic opportunities, the institution reports study abroad as an available option.
The entrance: long and narrow
This is where Babson becomes, in numbers, what you probably already suspected from its name. It does not have open admissions. Of the nine admissions considerations the government asks about, it marked six as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory course requirements, a personal essay, letters of recommendation, and an English proficiency test for applicants who must submit one. It also considers, although it does not require, class rank, a portfolio or competency test, work experience, and whether a family member studied there.
That last factor—legacy status—is something your child cannot change. If it does not apply to their situation, do not spend energy worrying about it. Spend that energy on what is within their control.
The published application fee is $75.
And now the figure that carries the most weight: in the most recent admissions cycle, Babson received 7,995 first-time applications and offered admission to 1,578 applicants. That is 20 out of every 100. Compared with 942 similar private four-year schools, it is among those that accept the smallest share: nine out of ten schools in that group, or more, accepted a higher percentage of their applicants. That left 6,417 applicants without an offer.
I want to tell you this very clearly because it matters: this number says nothing about your child's worth. It says how many places were offered compared with how many people requested them. A low percentage does not make a school better, and a high one does not make it worse. Make sure your child's list includes schools on both sides: some that are highly selective and also some that accept most applicants.
Of those who did receive an offer, close to half enrolled: 40 out of every 100. That places Babson on the high side compared with similar schools, where a smaller share usually enrolls. But this number does not measure quality or satisfaction; it only counts how many admitted applicants decided to enroll. When the admission letters arrive, compare the net price, the major, and the distance before the deposit deadline. That is what truly determines the decision.
Regarding tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid just the same. Among those who enrolled, 30 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores—a high proportion compared with similar schools—and among them, the middle half scored between 660 and 720 in reading and writing, and between 720 and 780 in mathematics. That 660 is not a minimum, and that 720 is not a guarantee. These are ranges for students who were already enrolled, not for everyone who applied.
Regarding transfers: in the most recent count, 43 students arrived at Babson after studying at another college. The transfer-out rate—those who leave Babson for another school—is not reported in this file. That does not prove that no one transfers; the data simply are not provided.
The published cost, without mincing words
At Babson College, among 32 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $21,270. Among 36 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $21,924; among 96 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $58,685. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
There is a difference of $37,415 between the average for the lowest-income band (32 students) and the average for the highest-income band (96 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family's price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $30,220.
Even after grants and scholarships were deducted, the average net price for the lowest-income families was $21,270 in the 2022-23 academic year. If that number does not fit your budget, it is better to see it today than in August.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, identifying yours correctly comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The aid letter you receive is the one that governs.
Grants, Pell, and loans: who receives what
At Babson, 40 out of every 100 students received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. The other 60 received none of that aid. Compared with similar schools, that leaves Babson in the quarter where grant or scholarship aid reaches fewer students. Among those who did receive it, the annual average was $45,359—but that average is not your offer. When your letter arrives, what matters is how much your family would have to pay out of pocket, not the size of the discount.
Regarding Pell, the federal aid for students with demonstrated financial need: it reached only 15 out of every 100 students. Do not assume that it will be available. Ask for the list of available scholarships, who qualifies, and when applications are due.
Regarding federal loans in the student's name: 26 out of every 100 undergraduate students received them in the most recently reported year. That is more than two out of ten, but less than half. The average amount among those who borrowed was $5,085 for the year. Compared with similar schools, Babson is on the low side: seven out of ten similar schools, or more, had a higher proportion of students who borrowed.
This average of $5,085 is for a single year, and it covers only federal student loans. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, bank debt, or credit card debt, nor is it the total debt someone has when they graduate. That number is not in this report, and you should not assume it.
As for payment methods, the institution reports an installment tuition payment plan as an available mechanism.
Campus life and support
Babson has institution-controlled housing, although it does not require all students to live there. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies according to the plan selected. IPEDS reports a maximum institutional housing capacity of 2,146 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee an available bed for your child in the year they apply: request the rate, the housing application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or applicants enter a waiting list in writing.
Regarding ROTC: in its most recent report, Babson did not mark any ROTC opportunity, neither the general box nor any of the three branches. Among the four-year institutions in this guide, 926 out of 1,786 did mark it. Babson was not among them. The fact that it is not marked does not prove that there is no option nearby; it only means one was not reported in this field. If that scholarship matters to your family, ask admissions directly before assuming it is unavailable.
Regarding sports: Babson does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. It reports membership for basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This is school membership, not a promise for your child. If your child is interested in competing, contact the coach in that sport directly and ask whether there is room on the team and whether the program offers athletic scholarships.
Regarding distance education: Babson does offer it at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and it reports at least one program in which all required courses can be completed remotely. But in the fall count, fewer than 1 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load that way. Confirm in writing whether that fully remote format applies to your child's specific major.
The library operates with paid staff and annual expenditures above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government. It has physical and digital collections, and it participates in interlibrary lending. That is the baseline; it does not guarantee that it has the databases your child's major requires. Ask about that by the name of the major.
As for general support, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for service members and their families, and a webpage of services for people with disabilities.
And do those who enroll stay and graduate?
This is where Babson shows its highest numbers, and they are worth examining carefully.
Of the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 94 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion: one year later, they were still enrolled there or had already completed a bachelor's degree. Compared with similar schools, Babson is among those that retain the largest share of their cohort. But this number combines two different groups—those still enrolled and those who had already graduated—without separating them, and it does not say what happened to the other 6 percent.
Of the cohort that entered a bachelor's degree program in 2017, 92 out of every 100—508 out of 550 students—graduated within six years. At four years, the figure had already reached 88 out of every 100, only 4 points lower. Compared with similar schools, Babson is among those that graduate the largest share: nine out of ten similar schools, or more, reported an equal or lower proportion.
And within eight years, counting certificates as well, 92 out of every 100 members of a cohort that entered in 2015-16 had earned a credential from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 89 out of every 100, only 4 points below the rest.
I want to tell you this with the same honesty with which I discussed the price: a high number is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to a specific cohort at a specific time. What is within your control is making sure your child enters with their credits in order and knows, starting in the first semester, who their academic advisor is and when to register for the courses their major requires.
What this article cannot tell you
From these data, we do not know what happens after graduation: how much people earn, what work they do, or how much total debt they carry when they leave. That belongs to another conversation, with other sources, and we will not invent it here.
Nor do we know whether Babson is the right school for your child. That depends on three pieces, and this article gave you only one of them in full: what the college actually is and offers. Only you have the other two—what your child wants and has built, and what your family can and is willing to pay.
If your child already knows that they want to study business and likes the idea of a small, highly focused school, this may be exactly what they are looking for. If they still do not know what they want to study, or if they are interested in exploring several areas at once, this school probably does not give them that space: almost everyone here leaves with the same type of degree. And if the net price for families with income similar to yours is around $20,000 or more per year, it is better to know now, not in August, when a deposit has already been paid.
You now know one part of the plan in depth. Combine it with what your child wants, with what they have built so far, and with what your family can pay. The decision comes from that combination—not from a single number.
Source note: the information in this article comes from official IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) reports from the United States Department of Education, primarily from the 2023 cycle and the 2023-24 academic year, with some net-price figures corresponding to 2022-23. Best College Aid does not represent Babson College or the United States government; this article organizes and explains public data and does not constitute personalized admissions advice.