Wellesley College is one of the Seven Sisters, the prestigious consortium of East Coast women's colleges once seen as the female equivalent of the predominantly male Ivy League. Decades later, the Massachusetts-based Wellesley is still an elite institution, with an acceptance rate just under 14%.
The school boasts personalized instruction, with a student-faculty ratio of 7:1, and a range of opportunities to get involved, with 180 student organizations, including a Shakespeare society; the Botanistas, which support the campus’s botanic garden; and Cielito Lindo, a Latin dance group.
Wellesley has a high sticker price, surpassing $96,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year. However, the college reports that it provides more than $80 million in financial aid each year, with an average annual grant of $70,519. Students go on to successful careers, with median earnings of about $72,500 four years after graduation.
Wellesley prides itself on educating future leaders, and students don't have to look far for examples, since women make up the bulk of senior leadership on campus. Well-known alumnae include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, author Nora Ephron and former broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer.
