Colby College vs. BU

Should I go to Colby College or Boston University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colby College or BU 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. Boston University comparison
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Overview

Colby College BU
Location Waterville, ME Boston, MA
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 2,299 36,714
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #79
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu bu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College BU
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $61,050
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $61,050
Room & Board $16,330 $17,400
Avg Net Price $16,951 $27,829
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $51,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 48%

Admission

Colby College BU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 80,796
Admitted 1,286 11,607
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 14.4%
Enrolled % 52.3% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/34 31/34
SAT Range 1430/1540 1350/1500
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 4, 2025

Academics

Colby College BU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

Colby College BU
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $72,000
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $200 $279

Diversity

Colby College BU
% Men 48% 43%
% Women 52% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 43%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 11% 20%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

Colby College BU
% In-State 7% 14%
% Out-of-State 79% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Colby College based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 2,299 students)

Colby College vs. BU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or BU?

  • Boston University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Colby College for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $60,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at BU than Colby College ($61,050.00 vs. $60,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than BU ($16,951 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 6.6% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,330 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Colby College (48% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 19.7% larger than aid received Boston University ($61,714 vs. $51,565)

Colby College vs. BU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colby College (1363) is 60 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Colby College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Colby College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Colby College (7.6%)

Colby College vs. BU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colby College or BU? 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 BU and Colby College.

  • The graduation rate at Colby College is higher than Boston University (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Colby College earn on average $1,400 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($73,400 vs. $72,000)
  • Colby College students graduate with a $7,655 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($19,345 vs. $27,000)
  • Colby College graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($200 vs. $279)
  • More Colby College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 82%)

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