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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
20
Average class size
82%
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
71
10-19
162
20-29
63
30-39
55
40-49
12
50-99
10

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
82%
4-year grad rate
96%
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
English Language and Literature, General
Mathematics, General
20.2
30.76
41.32
51.88
62.44
73

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • French Studies 5
  • African Studies 5
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 5
  • Spanish and Iberian Studies 2
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 2
  • Latin American Studies 2
  • Italian Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 47
  • Neuroscience 26
  • Biochemistry 23
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 23
Education
  • Physics Teacher Education 1
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 1
  • Education, General 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 33
Foreign Languages
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 4
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 4
  • Russian Language and Literature 2
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • German Language and Literature 1
History
  • History, General 19
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 29
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 3
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 0
  • Human Computer Interaction 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 0
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Religion/Religious Studies 4
  • Philosophy 3
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 14
  • Chemistry, General 13
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 11
  • Chemical Physics 1
Psychology
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 26
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 73
  • Political Science and Government, General 62
  • Sociology, General 15
  • Anthropology, General 10
  • Archeology 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 5
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 4
  • Theatre Literature, History and Criticism 1
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General 1
  • Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 1
  • Music, General 1

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