Explore alternatives based on outcomes, location, cost, and admission difficulty
Given Vanderbilt's 6.3% acceptance rate, most applicants—even highly qualified ones—will need backup options. The schools below deliver comparable career outcomes with more accessible admission or different cost structures.
These schools offer higher acceptance rates while delivering comparable career outcomes.
For similar outcomes with better admission odds, consider George Washington University, which admits 43.5% of applicants while producing graduates earning $90,873, nearly identical to Vanderbilt's $91,565. Lafayette College accepts 31.5% of applicants with graduates earning $91,410, representing virtually identical career outcomes with substantially higher acceptance rates. Both institutions offer strong liberal arts and social sciences programs with far more realistic admission prospects.
Strong options in the same region with comparable academic profiles.
Students preferring the Southeast should consider Duke University, which admits 6.8% of applicants while producing graduates earning $97,800, representing 6.8% higher earnings than Vanderbilt at 439 miles distance. While similarly selective, Duke provides geographic proximity with potentially stronger outcomes. George Washington University in Washington, DC, offers regional proximity at 567 miles with nearly identical earnings and significantly higher acceptance rates.
Schools with comparable admission profiles — useful for building a balanced list.
Other highly selective options include Columbia University, which admits 4.2% of applicants while producing graduates earning $102,491, representing 11.9% higher earnings than Vanderbilt. Harvard University accepts 3.5% of applicants with graduates earning $101,817. Both institutions compete for similar applicant pools and offer comparable academic environments, though with even more competitive admission odds.
Stronger graduate earnings at comparable price points.
Similar career outcomes at significantly lower cost.
Elite universities with similar prestige and academic caliber
