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Academics

Bowdoin College
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Bowdoin College?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

9:1
Student to faculty ratio
19
Average class size
72%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Bowdoin has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
95
10-19
165
20-29
61
30-39
67
40-49
10
50-99
4

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Bowdoin College:

97%
First-year retention rate
72%
4-year grad rate
95%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Bowdoin College's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
Political Science and Government, General
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Computer Science
Neuroscience
25.8
33.24
40.68
48.12
55.56
63

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 7
  • African Studies 7
  • Spanish and Iberian Studies 7
  • French Studies 6
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 5
  • Latin American Studies 5
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 4
  • Latin American Studies 4
  • French Studies 4
  • Spanish and Iberian Studies 2
  • Italian Studies 2
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 1
  • Italian Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 42
  • Neuroscience 32
  • Biochemistry 19
  • Neuroscience 5
  • Biochemistry 2
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 33
  • Computer Science 7
Education
  • Education, General 15
  • Physics Teacher Education 0
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 0
  • Education, General 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 23
  • English Language and Literature, General 5
Foreign Languages
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 7
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 7
  • German Language and Literature 3
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 2
  • Russian Language and Literature 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Russian Language and Literature 1
  • German Language and Literature 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
History
  • History, General 21
  • History, General 6
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 26
  • Mathematics, General 25
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Human Computer Interaction 9
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 4
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
  • Human Computer Interaction 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 25
  • Environmental Studies 0
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 7
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
  • Religion/Religious Studies 0
Physical Sciences
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 19
  • Physics, General 15
  • Physics, General 9
  • Chemistry, General 7
  • Chemistry, General 1
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 1
  • Chemical Physics 1
Psychology
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 20
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 4
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 63
  • Political Science and Government, General 60
  • Sociology, General 15
  • Anthropology, General 13
  • Political Science and Government, General 13
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 12
  • Sociology, General 3
  • Anthropology, General 1
  • Archeology 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 7
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 7
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 5
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General 4
  • Music, General 2
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General 1
  • Music, General 1
  • Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 1
  • Theatre Literature, History and Criticism 1
  • Theatre Literature, History and Criticism 0
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