Dickinson College
About
Dickinson College is a private liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, making it the first college to be founded after the formation of the United States. Dickinson was founded by Benjamin Rush, a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The college is named in honor of John Dickinson, a Founding Father who voted to ratify the Constitution and later served as governor of Pennsylvania, and his wife Mary Norris Dickinson, who donated much of their extensive personal libraries to the new college.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 2.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 38 Title IV programs, 11 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 27 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing11 · 28.9%
- No Data27 · 71.1%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Action history · 4
- Jun 2022Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Jan 2021Approved for Distance EducationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Jan 2021Grant Substantive Change: ProgramMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Nov 2017Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 396 students received $2.3M in Pell grants, alongside $8.7M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 311 borrowers who entered repayment, 1 (0.3%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Dickinson College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 15
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus23
- Public property2
Includes 14 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Townhouse 3771 fireCookingDamage $100-$999
- 417 W. Louther1 fireOpen flamesDamage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Dickinson College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Dickinson College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectDickinson College | 80% | — | 2,314 | $32,191 | Baccalaureate |
Bates College | 90% | 13.3% | 1,760 | $30,703 | Baccalaureate |
Bowdoin College | 95% | 7.1% | 1,881 | $20,786 | Baccalaureate |
Carleton College | 90% | 20.4% | 2,128 | $27,320 | Baccalaureate |
Colby College | 89% | 7.1% | 2,412 | $23,939 | Baccalaureate |
Colgate University | 91% | 13.9% | 3,211 | $29,107 | Baccalaureate |
Hamilton College | 91% | 13.6% | 2,031 | $28,314 | Baccalaureate |
Kenyon College | 82% | 31.0% | 2,249 | $29,383 | Baccalaureate |
Middlebury College | 91% | 10.7% | 2,803 | $25,934 | Baccalaureate |
Oberlin College | 81% | 34.2% | 2,909 | $39,184 | Baccalaureate |
Vassar College | 91% | 18.6% | 2,462 | $38,182 | Baccalaureate |
| Peer group median | 90% | 13.8% | 2,314 | $29,107 |
Dickinson College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Analytics and Institutional Research works closely with the entire Dickinson community to provide relevant data and analysis for evaluation, assessment, and planning purposes.
Visit IR office page- Darren GlassDirector of Analytics and Institutional Research
- Brandon KerschnerSenior Data Analyst
- Olivia LaneData Analyst
- Anisha ChoudhuryData Analytics Intern
- Marin MooreData Analytics Intern
- Grace NgoData Analytics Intern
Common Data Set (10)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Reports & documents (5)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboarddickinson.edu
- Data definitionStatistics | Statistics | Dickinson CollegeThe page provides an overview of statistical information coordinated by Dickinson College's Office of Analytics & Institutional Research. It includes links to resources like the college's Factbook and Common Data Set, which offer detailed data about the institution's admissions, student body, faculty, and more. The data are primarily defined by national sources such as CDS and IPEDS.dickinson.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookDickinson College Factbook 20252025The Factbook, developed by the Office of Analytics & Institutional Research, is an online compendium providing detailed information on Dickinson College's students, employees, and finances. It follows national data definitions from sources such as the Common Data Set and IPEDS, but deviations are noted. The Factbook aims to assist in storytelling and understanding the college, with data spanning metrics like admissions, retention, and faculty information.dickinson.edu
- Strategic planStrategic Plan IIIDickinson College's Strategic Plan III outlines the institution's roadmap for navigating both internal and external challenges. The plan emphasizes building a strong community, enhancing the student experience, and securing financial resources for future sustainability. Key themes include enrollment management, facility upgrades, alumni engagement, and resource development.dickinson.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Dickinson College (30)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Henry ClarkeBusiness
- John CurleyBusiness
- Alfred V. du PontBusiness
- Stephen DuncanBusiness
- Judith FaulknerBusiness
- David HirsheyBusiness
- John Carmichael JenkinsBusiness
- Andy MacPhailSports
- Amy NauiokasBusiness
- Leon RoseSports
- Spencer BaileyArts and journalism
- Brock ClarkeArts and journalism
Frequently asked questions about Dickinson College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Dickinson College.
What is the graduation rate at Dickinson College?
How many students attend Dickinson College?
What is the average net price at Dickinson College?
What is the yield rate at Dickinson College?
Where is Dickinson College located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Dickinson College?
Have a question this page can’t answer?
Ask Clema anything about Dickinson College and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card