Colby College vs. Amherst

Should I go to Colby College or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colby College or Amherst is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Colby College vs. Amherst College comparison
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Colby College Amherst College
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Overview

Colby College Amherst
Location Waterville, ME Amherst, MA
Setting Remote Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 2,299 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College Amherst
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $63,500
Room & Board $16,330 $16,750
Avg Net Price $16,951 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 58%

Admission

Colby College Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 14,864
Admitted 1,286 1,079
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 7.3%
Enrolled % 52.3% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/34 32/35
SAT Range 1430/1540 1420/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Colby College Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Colby College Amherst
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $200 $134

Diversity

Colby College Amherst
% Men 48% 48%
% Women 52% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 42%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

Colby College Amherst
% In-State 7% 13%
% Out-of-State 79% 74%

Campus

Colby College Amherst
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colby College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,299 students vs. 1,898 students)

Colby College vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Amherst?

  • Amherst College is 4.4% more expensive to attend than Colby College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $60,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at Amherst than Colby College ($63,500.00 vs. $60,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Amherst ($16,951 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 2.6% lower than costs at Amherst College ($16,330 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Colby College (58% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 5.1% larger than aid received Amherst College ($61,714 vs. $58,693)

Colby College vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colby College or Amherst? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Amherst or Colby College .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 88 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Colby College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Colby College (3.86)
  • Colby College has a higher acceptance rate (7.6%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Colby College vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colby College or Amherst? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Amherst and Colby College.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Colby College (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $8,600 more per year than Colby College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $73,400)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $6,370 lower median federal student loan debt than Colby College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $19,345)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Colby College graduates. ($134 vs. $200)
  • More Colby College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 83%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/