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Yale University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Yale University?

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

6:1
Student to faculty ratio
23
Average class size
66%
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.

Yale has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1. 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
308
10-19
747
20-29
152
30-39
63
40-49
45
50-99
87
100+
55

Honors Programs

Yale University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Yale's website.

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 Yale University:

99%
First-year retention rate
66%
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 Yale University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Political Science and Government, General
History, General
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
57.2
73.76
90.32
106.88
123.44
140

The Full List

Major Graduates
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architecture 12
  • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 4
Area
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 30
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 23
  • East Asian Studies 7
  • Women's Studies 4
  • African-American/Black Studies 4
  • Near and Middle Eastern Studies 1
  • Area Studies, Other 0
  • African Studies 0
  • Latin American Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 71
  • Neuroscience 47
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 26
  • Evolutionary Biology 25
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 126
  • Computer and Information Sciences, Other 18
  • Computer Programming, Specific Applications 15
Engineering
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 29
  • Engineering Science 27
  • Mechanical Engineering 18
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 11
  • Chemical Engineering 6
  • Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 4
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 4
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 50
Foreign Languages
  • Comparative Literature 14
  • Linguistics 9
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 7
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 7
  • French Language and Literature 2
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 1
  • East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 0
  • Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
  • Spanish Language and Literature 0
  • Italian Language and Literature 0
History
  • History, General 75
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 12
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 3
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 43
  • Statistics, General 38
  • Applied Mathematics, General 15
  • Mathematics, Other 4
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 70
  • Cognitive Science, General 36
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 11
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 26
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 15
  • Religion/Religious Studies 5
  • Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 22
  • Chemistry, General 16
  • Astrophysics 9
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 4
  • Astronomy 2
  • Physics, Other 1
  • Physical Sciences, General 0
Psychology
  • Experimental Psychology 63
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 140
  • Political Science and Government, General 92
  • International Relations and Affairs 64
  • Sociology, General 16
  • Anthropology, General 14
  • Archeology 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 18
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 15
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 10
  • Art/Art Studies, General 9
  • Music, General 4

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