Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah

This is a one-major school—Talmudic Studies—with no secular coursework offered. The 9:1 student-faculty ratio suggests intimate, yeshiva-style learning, likely in paired chavruta study sessions. Graduation rates are strikingly low: 10% per College Scorecard, though other sources cite 18-36%. The discrepancy may reflect students leaving for other yeshivas or entering the workforce without degrees. Academics here are purely religious; if you’re looking for chemistry labs or humanities seminars, look elsewhere.

With 72 undergrads, this is more shtiebel than campus. Students live in $2,800/year housing (likely shared apartments near the yeshiva) and spend days in study halls. There are no athletics or Greek life noted—just Torah, tefillah, and the tight-knit Lakewood Orthodox community. The suburban setting offers kosher eateries and synagogues, but don’t expect a typical college social scene. It’s a place for those who want to eat, sleep, and breathe Jewish law.

Only 10% graduate within 8 years (per College Scorecard), but this likely undercounts those who leave to join other yeshivas or start families. Earnings data is scarce, but similar Orthodox institutions show graduates often enter rabbinical roles, Jewish education, or kosher businesses—careers where formal degrees matter less than religious credentials. The school’s value lies in spiritual, not financial, ROI.

Tuition is $11,390 after aid (grants cover most costs), with 100% of students receiving aid—mostly institutional grants ($5,358 average) and federal aid ($6,487). No students take loans, per Scholarships.com, suggesting either modest pricing or community-supported scholarships. Families earning over $110K pay ~$16K; lower incomes likely pay far less. It’s a bargain for Orthodox students, but only if Talmud is your sole curriculum.

Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah is singular in its focus: a no-frills, all-Torah institution where every student is on a religious track. The 100% aid rate and ultra-low costs make it accessible to Orthodox Jews prioritizing piety over prestige. But it’s not for the uncommitted—with a 10% graduation rate and zero secular academics, this is a place for those already steeped in yeshiva life. In a higher-ed landscape obsessed with rankings, it’s a rare throwback to pure religious education.