Stanford University

Frequently asked questions

About Stanford University

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Stanford University located?

Stanford University is located in Stanford, CA, in the United States.

What type of institution is Stanford University?

Stanford University is a private university based in CA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

What is the acceptance rate at Stanford University?

The most recently reported acceptance rate at Stanford University is approximately 4% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.

What is the tuition at Stanford University?

Stanford University's published in-state tuition is approximately $65,910 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend Stanford University?

Stanford University reports total enrollment of approximately 18,625 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does Stanford University actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Stanford University is approximately $13,807 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at Stanford University?

Stanford University reports a graduation rate of approximately 92% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of Stanford University have?

Students who borrowed at Stanford University left with a median of approximately $12,000 in federal loans, and about 6% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of Stanford University earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $124,080 for students who received federal financial aid at Stanford University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about Stanford University?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Stanford University.

How much do Computer Science graduates from Stanford University earn?

Stanford University's master's graduates in Computer Science earned a median $255,667 four years after graduating, 76% above the $145,571 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $199,761; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth.

How much do Law graduates from Stanford University earn?

Stanford University's professional-degree graduates in Law earned a median $259,944 four years after graduating, 141% above the $107,773 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $162,001; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $153,302 in federal loans at this college (about $1,744 a month on a 10-year plan). For context, lawyers in California are paid a median $195,080 a year across all experience levels (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), a figure for everyone in the job, not only recent graduates.

Which programs at Stanford University have the highest graduate earnings?

Among the 11 programs at Stanford University with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Business Administration, master's ($261,816); Law, professional-degree ($259,944); and Computer Science, master's ($255,667) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.

Does Stanford University get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Stanford University's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $144,435, above the $34,635 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 nationally, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.