Colby College vs. Olin College

Should I go to Colby College or Olin College of Engineering? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colby College or Olin College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Hamilton College Colgate Middlebury Tufts Vassar BC Bowdoin College Bates Williams Northeastern Dartmouth Amherst
Colby College vs. Olin College of Engineering comparison
Colby College Olin College of Engineering College 3 College 4
Colby College Olin College of Engineering
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Colby College Olin College
Location Waterville, ME Needham, MA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,299 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College Olin College
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $57,280
Room & Board $16,330 $18,524
Avg Net Price $16,951 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 100%

Admission

Colby College Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 862
Admitted 1,286 165
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 19.1%
Enrolled % 52.3% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/34 35/35
SAT Range 1430/1540 1490/1560
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 1, 2025

Academics

Colby College Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Colby College Olin College
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 88% -
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $200 $152

Diversity

Colby College Olin College
% Men 48% 50%
% Women 52% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 53%
% Black 3% 0%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 7% 11%

Students

Colby College Olin College
% In-State 7% 12%
% Out-of-State 79% 79%

Campus

Colby College Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,299 students vs. 386 students)

Colby College vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Olin College?

  • Colby College is 6.2% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($60,840.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at Colby College than Olin College of Engineering ($60,840.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Olin College ($16,951 vs. $38,502)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 13.4% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($16,330 vs. $18,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Colby College (100% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 52.3% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($61,714 vs. $40,522)

Colby College vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 143 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Colby College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Colby College (3.86)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Colby College (7.6%)

Colby College vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Colby College (96% vs. 91%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $4,635 lower median federal student loan debt than Colby College graduates. ($14,710 vs. $19,345)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Colby College graduates. ($152 vs. $200)

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