This is not everything you need to make a decision. It is one piece, the one concerning the college itself. The other two—what your child wants and what your family can afford—are yours.
What kind of school Reed College is
Reed College is a private, nonprofit, four-year college focused on the arts and sciences. It is in Portland, Oregon, within Multnomah County, in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metropolitan area. The system that classifies colleges in the United States places it in a large city with a population of 250,000 or more, although that does not yet tell you how to get to campus or what there is nearby. If your child were considering living at home, the only way to know for sure is to drive the route on a weekday at the exact time of their classes. The map almost never tells the whole truth.
It is a highly residential school: at least half of degree-seeking students live in institution-owned housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 attend full time. It is also classified within the most selective admissions group. Neither label tells you how many out of every hundred applicants get in—you will see that later, with an exact number—or whether living on campus is right for your family. Living there and paying tuition are two separate bills: room and board are charged separately.
Although its highest reported level is a master’s degree, Reed is primarily an undergraduate college. We do not know whether your child’s specific major connects to a graduate-level option here; that is something to ask directly, program by program.
One thing is worth saying up front because it clears away some noise: Reed College is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Those are three distinct designations with different histories, and only 138 of the 3,012 colleges in this directory have at least one of them. Reed’s absence from that list says nothing about which students it serves or how your child will feel there. You learn that by looking at which organizations and cultural centers exist today and by talking with someone who already attends the college.
A small community, and who makes it up
Reed had 1,458 students enrolled in the most recent official fall count: 1,439 undergraduates and only 19 graduate students. Above all, it is an undergraduate college. By size, it falls in the middle band—between 1,000 and 4,999 students—and compared with similar selective private colleges, it sits right in the middle: neither among the largest nor the smallest. Being large does not mean having more options. Being small does not guarantee more attention for your child either. What matters is the specific major, not the size of the entire school.
Hispanic or Latino students account for 12 out of every 100 undergraduates. It is a small minority, although the figure is slightly above the midpoint among similar selective private colleges that report this information. If that number matters to your family—and it matters to many, with good reason—the right response is not to dismiss the school because of it, but to ask directly which student group, cultural center, or person in the admissions office speaks Spanish and can support your child.
There are more women than men: 58 out of every 100. There are almost no adult students—the figure for students between the ages of 25 and 64 is only 1 out of every 100—so in terms of age, this is a very young community. And one fact stands out: the share of first-time students who were permanent Oregon residents was less than 25 out of every 100; in fact, just 10 out of every 100. The rest come from other states or other countries, or their residency is not reported. This does not measure distance or travel costs, but if your child would have to fly or drive for many hours to get there, that transportation expense falls under “other expenses” in the cost of attendance without being itemized. It is worth building that budget around actual trips, not estimates.
How academics are organized
The year at Reed is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school reported that it accepts credit for AP exams, but did not indicate that it awards credit for life experience. That does not mean every AP score automatically becomes useful credit toward your child’s major: request a written credit-equivalency evaluation before enrolling, and do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand. Reed also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
In a recent year, Reed awarded 309 bachelor’s degrees across 14 families of majors, and no single one accounted for more than 18 out of every 100 degrees—the largest was social sciences. It is a broad offering, without any single field dominating. This counts degrees awarded, not people or the current catalog of majors: before deciding, ask about the exact major that interests your child, how many students graduated in it, how long they took, and what the curriculum is like.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 9 to 1, one of the lowest among similar selective private colleges—in the group’s lowest quartile. It is a number that sounds good, and probably is, but by itself it does not measure class size or actual individual attention. Ask how many students are in first-year classes; that is a number you will be able to compare.
Reed also reports one structured academic opportunity: study abroad.
Getting into Reed: a long application, a narrow doorway
Reed does not have open admissions. Of nine possible considerations in the process, it marks six as required: high school transcript, GPA, the specific course plan it requires, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and an English proficiency exam when applicable. It also considers—although it does not require—the student’s class rank and a portfolio or competency exam. This is an application to assemble over time, not in a single night. The good news: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.
In the most recent cycle, Reed received 10,045 first-time applications and offered admission to 2,728 applicants. That is 27 out of every 100. Compared with similar selective private colleges, Reed is among those that accept the fewest applicants: nine out of ten colleges in that group, or more, accept a larger percentage of their applicants. This number is for the entire school; if your child is pursuing a particular major, ask admissions directly for that information.
Here is something many families do not expect: only 13 out of every 100 admitted students ultimately enrolled. Put another way, out of every 8 students who get a yes from Reed, about one decides to attend. The others had a place and did not take it. Do not read this as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made that choice—but do read it as a reminder: what others decided does not tell you what Reed will offer you. Wait for your own letter with the net price, and use that number to decide whether Reed stays on your child’s list.
The SAT and ACT are not required at Reed. Among students who enrolled and submitted SAT scores—48 out of every 100, a high share compared with similar colleges—the middle half scored between 670 and 760 in reading and writing, and between 630 and 750 in math. These ranges describe students who had already enrolled, not everyone who applied, and they do not prove that the score was used to admit anyone. That 670 is not a minimum; that 760 guarantees nothing.
Regarding transfers: among a cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 16 out of every 100 transferred without completing at Reed and enrolled at another institution. That is a common percentage compared with similar colleges. Changing schools is not failing, but your child should know beforehand how to request the documents needed to leave if necessary, and should ask the destination institution in writing, with the course list in hand, how many credits it would accept.
The list price: high, with everything included
At Reed College, among 21 first-time, full-time students who were seeking a credential and received federal Title IV aid, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $19,418. Among 20 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $14,080; among 108 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $53,463. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lower-income band (21 students) and the average for the higher-income band (108 students) is $34,045. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $36,993.
$19,418 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income band in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time students who were seeking a credential and received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time students who were seeking a credential and received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The letter that matters is the financial aid letter sent to you.
Grants, loans, and who pays what
Among Reed students seeking a degree, 54 out of every 100 received aid that does not have to be repaid—a grant or scholarship. That is more than half, but not everyone, and compared with similar colleges, Reed falls in the quartile where grant aid reaches fewer students. Among those who received it, the annual average was $46,260. It is real money, but it is not a price: what determines how much you will pay is the number remaining after aid, and you know that only when you have your letter in hand.
Only 13 out of every 100 students received Pell, the federal aid for low-income families with demonstrated need—a low share.
Regarding loans: 38 out of every 100 Reed undergraduates received a federal loan in the most recent year reported, and those who borrowed took out an average of $5,860 that year. Compared with similar colleges, Reed is on the low side: at seven out of ten similar colleges, or more, a larger share of students had to borrow. It is worth being precise here: this average covers a single year and only federal loans in the student’s name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing, bank debt, or credit-card debt, and it is not the total debt someone has upon graduation—that would require adding several years, and that number is not in this report.
This percentage does not determine which of these groups your child will fall into—the one that leaves without debt or the one that borrows. The financial aid letter sent to your child, in writing, determines that. Reed also reports a tuition installment payment plan as an additional option for managing the cost.
Campus life and available support
Reed does offer institution-controlled housing, on or off campus, with a reported capacity of 1,149 students. It is not required for all first-time, full-time students—although that does not rule out a requirement for a particular program. Reed also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The existence of an option does not guarantee a bed or an included plan: request the annual rate, the housing application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or you will be placed on a waitlist, all in writing.
Reed reported no ROTC opportunity—neither the general option nor any of the three branches—while 926 of the 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide did report one. If your child’s plan depends on that scholarship, do not cross Reed off the list without asking admissions directly; the reported field does not cover everything that may exist.
It also does not participate in intercollegiate sports or belong to any national athletic association—not the NCAA, the NAIA, or any other association listed. If sports matter in your child’s decision, this carries weight: ask whether there are intramural leagues or clubs, which are not the same as a college team.
Reed does offer distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but in the most recent count, zero undergraduate students took their entire course load that way—all took at least one class in person. The school also reported that it does not offer a complete program that can be taken entirely through distance education. If this matters to your family, confirm it in writing and for the specific major.
The library operates with paid staff and exceeded the government-recorded spending threshold of $100,000; it has physical and digital collections and interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that the specific databases for your child’s major are available—that is something to ask about by the name of the major.
Services reported by the institution include combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, on-campus childcare, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, and a published web address for services for people with disabilities.
Do students stay? Do they graduate?
Of the cohort that entered Reed in the fall of 2022, 86 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already completed their bachelor’s degree by the following year. That is a high share compared with similar colleges—Reed ranks in the upper part of the group. But this number combines two different outcomes—remaining enrolled or already having graduated—and does not say what happened to the rest.
Regarding graduation: of the cohort that entered in 2017, 76 out of every 100 had earned a degree six years later. At the four-year mark, the figure drops to 62 out of every 100—a difference of 14 points worth keeping in mind if the family plan depends on the degree taking exactly four years. Compared with similar selective private colleges, Reed ranks in the top quartile: three out of four similar colleges, or more, have an equal or lower graduation rate.
For that same cohort of 407 students, the exact counts were: 309 completed here, 66 transferred and continued at another institution, 3 remained enrolled without completing, and 29 fell into the “no longer enrolled” category—which does not explain why and may include people who graduated after the official time limit.
A high number is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to the cohort of 2017. What is in your hands is making sure your child enters with their credits in order and knows, from the first semester, who their advisor is and when registration opens for courses in their major.
At the eight-year mark, following a broader cohort that entered between 2015 and 2016, 75 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Reed—also in the top quartile compared with similar colleges. Among Pell grant recipients, the figure was 74 out of every 100, practically the same. The closeness of the numbers does not mean the path was the same for everyone. And again, this is an earlier cohort. It does not determine whether your child will graduate here or how long it will take.
What this article cannot tell you
We do not know what happens to Reed graduates after they leave—their income, employment, or debt at graduation. That information is not in this report, and we are not going to invent it.
Putting the pieces together
You still need to combine this with what your child wants to study and what your family can and is willing to pay. If your child already knows which major they want, ask admissions about it specifically—the school-wide averages tell you nothing about that major alone. If money is the most important variable in your household, complete the FAFSA before ruling out or falling in love with this school; the list price is almost never the actual price. And if Reed remains on the list after you have read all of this, make sure it is not the only one.
The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education and corresponds to the years and periods cited in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Reed College or the United States government; this article organizes public data to help you understand it and does not replace official information provided by the institution itself.