“A coeducational liberal arts college 35 miles south of Boston, named for its founder Mary Lyon — whose legacy runs through every Wheaton Lyon.”
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) is a private liberal arts college located in Norton, Massachusetts, a small town in southeastern New England situated between Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. The college was founded in 1834 as the Wheaton Female Seminary by Judge Laban Wheaton and named for his daughter, but the institution also honors Mary Lyon — the pioneering educator who helped establish it as an academic institution for women and who later founded Mount Holyoke College. Wheaton received a four-year college charter in 1912 and became fully coeducational in 1988. Today it is one of 21 varsity teams strong, competing in the NCAA Division III New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). The mascot 'Lyons' — spelled without the 'i' — is a direct tribute to founder Mary Lyon. Wheaton enrolls approximately 1,700 students from 42 states and 39 countries, with international students comprising about 8 percent of the student body. The college offers strong programs in psychology, biology, economics, English, mathematics, and the fine arts, organized around a broad interdisciplinary curriculum. Its relatively small size supports tight faculty-student relationships, close advising, and genuine access to undergraduate research. Located 35 miles south of Boston and 25 miles from Providence, Wheaton students have regular access to both cities for internships, cultural programming, and professional networking without paying urban costs of living. The college has been test-optional for over 25 years — one of the longest-standing test-optional policies of any liberal arts college in the country. With a 67 percent acceptance rate and a track record of substantial institutional aid (average net price ~$32,248/year), Wheaton is one of the more accessible selective liberal arts colleges in New England for both domestic and international students. Ten-year median graduate earnings of $53,700 place Wheaton graduates solidly in the upper half of national liberal arts college outcomes.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Best Value Schools
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Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision I
Binding
Early Action I
Non-binding
Early Decision II
Binding
Early Action II
Non-binding
Regular Decision
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$65,700
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Psychology, economics, political science, sociology, and management. Strong connections to Boston and Providence professional markets.
Biology, chemistry, neuroscience, physics, mathematics, and computer science. Strong undergraduate research infrastructure and pre-med advising.
English, history, art, theatre, music, film, philosophy, religion, and modern languages.
Business and management studies with Boston and Providence employer connections.
4 years
Wheaton's most popular major, with strong research opportunities and proximity to Boston's healthcare and mental health sectors for internships and graduate school preparation.
4 years
Strong pre-medicine and research track with undergraduate thesis opportunities and faculty-mentored lab research. Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary major bridging biology, psychology, and chemistry.
4 years
Rigorous economics training with quantitative and applied tracks. Direct access to Providence and Boston finance and consulting internships.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $63,960
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
