- Deep Springs is a liberal arts college located on a cattle-ranch and alfalfa farm in California's High Desert. The 24-30 members of the student body form a close community engaged in an intense educational project delineated by what Deep Springs' founder, L. L. Nunn, termed the "three pillars": academics, labor and self-governance. The principle underlying the three pillars is that manual labor and political deliberation are necessary supplements to the liberal arts in the training of future servants to humanity. Students attend for two years (after which most transfer to a four-year institution) and receive a full room, board, and tuition scholarship valued at over $50,000 per year.
School Highlights
Deep Springs College serves 29 students (100% of students are full-time).
The college's student-teacher ratio of 5:1 is lower than the state community college average of 31:1.
Minority enrollment is 100% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 66%.
Quick Facts (26-27)
- Enrollment: 29 students
- Acceptance Rate: 5%
- Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
Deep Springs College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Nevada for:
Category
Attribute
School Resources
School Overview
Deep Springs College
(NV) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate of Arts Colleges
Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Institution Level
At least 2 yrs but < 4 yrs
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Private, non-profit
Private for-profit
Year Founded
1917
Campus Size
155 acres
Total Faculty
5 staff
32 staff
Number of Programs Offered
1
8
School Calendar
School Motto
'Prepare young people for a life of service to humanity.'
Student Body
The student population of Deep Springs College has grown by 7% over five years.
The Deep Springs College diversity score of 0.00 is less than the state average of 0.74. The school's diversity has declined by 100% over five years.
Total Enrollment
29 students
3,225 students
Student-Teacher Ratio
5:1
31:1
# Full-Time Students
29 students
587 students
# Enrollment Undergraduate
27 students
587 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
29 students
587 students
% Unknown races
100%
3%
Diversity Score
0.00
0.74
Tuition & Financial Aid
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
100%
90%
Acceptance Rate
5%
82%
Extracurriculars
Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
7 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
Arts and Music Programs:
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Reading group
Arts and Music Programs:
Performing Arts Committee
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Intramural hikingIntramural horseback riding
Intramural rock climbingIntramural running
Intramural soccer
Source: 2025 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators
School Notes
- Deep Springs offers only an Associate's Degree in the liberal arts. Deep Springers usually transfer after two years at the college to continue their education at a four-year institution. Over the long term, over two-thirds of our alumni have earned graduate degrees, with over half holding a doctorate (M.D., J.D., Ph.D., etc.) as their terminal degree. Courses at Deep Springs are intensive and interactive seminars. Classes range in size from four to ten, so every member must come prepared to contribute to the discussion.As a result, students devote a great deal of time and energy to their assignments, and discussions often achieve a depth uncommon at the undergraduate level. Deep Springs has a library of approximately 23,000 volumes, a modest periodicals subscription, and computer work stations with internet and e-mail access via satellite. Our facilities are ample for the needs of the academic program and include a music room, a piano room, a laboratory, a darkroom, a ceramics studio, a library, a smithy, an auto shop, a woodshop, a saddle and leatherworking shop, fifty square miles of desert ecology and geology, and three classrooms. Classes are sometimes also held in unconventional locations, like professors' homes or the irrigation ditch.
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Andy Kim - Senator of New Jersey
Profile last updated: 08/11/2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are Deep Springs College often compared to?
Deep Springs Collegeis often viewed alongside schools like College of Southern Nevada by visitors of our site.
What is the acceptance rate of Deep Springs College?
The acceptance rate of Deep Springs College is 5%, which is lower than the state average of 82%.
Who are famous alumni from Deep Springs College?
Deep Springs College famous alumni include: Andy Kim.
What is Deep Springs College's ranking?
Deep Springs College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Nevada for: Average community college minority breakdown and Percent of students receiving financial aid.
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