Address: 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, United States
Arts and Sciences, Social Policy and Management, International Business, Continuing Studies
Brandeis University is a private, non-sectarian and coeducational research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, about nine miles west of Boston. It was founded in 1948 and is named after Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish justice of the United States Supreme Court. It was established on the former campus of Middlesex University. The first freshman class, in October 1948, had 107 students, and the original structure had four schools.
The campus covers 235 acres. Total enrollment in fall 2025 was 4,696, with 3,342 undergraduates and 1,354 postgraduates. The faculty numbered 512 in 2024 and the administrative staff 1,342. The endowment reached 1.36 billion dollars in 2025. The small size is a feature and not a flaw, since it keeps classes personal and gives students access to professors.
The academic structure is clear. The College of Arts and Sciences has 24 departments, 22 interdepartmental programs, 43 majors and 47 minors. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences runs more than 40 programs, 18 of them doctoral. The Heller School for Social Policy and Management was founded in 1959. The Brandeis International Business School was established in 1994. The Rabb School of Continuing Studies records more than 4,000 enrollments a year.
Research is the core of the profile. The Carnegie classification places Brandeis at R1, very high research activity. The Division of Science has seven departments, five interdepartmental programs, six science centers and more than 50 laboratories. Twelve members of the National Academy of Sciences sit on the science faculty. Research spending reached 68.4 million dollars in the fiscal year 2017.
The roll of alumni and faculty is impressive for a small school. Drew Weissman received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023, and Roderick MacKinnon the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003. Edward Witten holds a Fields Medal, Karen Uhlenbeck the Abel Prize and Leslie Lamport the Turing Award. Michael Rosbash and Jeffrey Hall, Nobel laureates in biology, are part of the faculty. David Crane and Marta Kauffman created the series Friends. Tuition is high. Check the current tariff.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Data Analytics, Finance, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Microbiology and Genetics, Physics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis International Business School, Rabb School of Continuing Studies.
Research:
Natural sciences, neuroscience, social policy, international business, humanities and social sciences.
Famous Alumnis:
Drew Weissman, Roderick MacKinnon, Edward Witten, Karen Uhlenbeck, Leslie Lamport, Michael Rosbash, Jeffrey Hall, Marta Kauffman, David Crane
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1854
Current students***:
4696
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
R1 research classification, small campus about 9 miles from Boston, 12 members of the National Academy of Sciences, Nobel laureates among alumni and faculty.
Cons
Small size, tuition and living costs, fewer professional schools than a large university.
Best For
Students who want a research university with the feel of a small college, close to Boston.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Among national alternatives, Emory University stands out for its focus on finance, microbiology and genetics and chemistry, and it is far larger, with about 16,142 students against roughly 4,696 here, and is also a private institution.
Georgetown University overlaps with this institution on finance, life sciences and data analytics, so the two are easy to compare, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers project management and statistics as well.
For students who like the chemistry, physics and mathematics focus of this institution but want another option nearby, Yale University fits well: it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers statistics and ecology and sustainability as well.
University of Miami takes a similar route through finance, microbiology and genetics and life sciences, and it is also a private institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Think of Harvard University when chemistry, physics and mathematics is the priority: it covers bioengineering and statistics as well, and is far larger, with about 21,200 students against roughly 4,696 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, based in Germany, is built around finance, microbiology and genetics and chemistry much like this university, and it is far larger, with about 36,569 students against roughly 4,696 here, and is public, whereas this university is private.
In New Zealand, University of Otago teaches much the same core subjects, finance, microbiology and genetics and chemistry, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers marine science and food science as well.
Complutense University of Madrid offers an international parallel to this university, with finance, microbiology and genetics and chemistry as common ground; it is public, whereas this university is private, and does not run the mba programmes found here.
Students considering a move abroad can look at University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom, where chemistry, physics and mathematics also form the core, and it is public, whereas this institution is private, and does not run the mba programmes found here.
In Spain, Autonomous University of Madrid teaches much the same core subjects, finance, chemistry and physics, and it is far larger, with about 31,722 students against roughly 4,696 here, and is public, whereas this university is private.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Brandeis University?
In Waltham, Massachusetts, about nine miles west of Boston.
When was it founded?
In 1948.
Who is it named after?
Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish justice of the United States Supreme Court.
How large is the campus?
235 acres.
How many students does it have?
4,696 in fall 2025.
What is its research classification?
R1, very high research activity.
Which Nobel laureates are among its alumni?
Drew Weissman in 2023 and Roderick MacKinnon in 2003.
Which Nobel laureates are on its faculty?
Michael Rosbash and Jeffrey Hall, in biology.
What is the Heller School?
The School for Social Policy and Management, founded in 1959.
What does it cost?
Tuition is high. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Chemistry, Innovation, Physics, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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