Colby College vs. Harvard

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

Colby College Harvard
Location Waterville, ME Cambridge, MA
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,299 30,631
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu harvard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College Harvard
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $52,659
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $52,659
Room & Board $16,330 $19,502
Avg Net Price $16,951 $19,491
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $61,801
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 56%

Admission

Colby College Harvard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 61,221
Admitted 1,286 1,984
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 3.2%
Enrolled % 52.3% 83%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/34 34/36
SAT Range 1430/1540 1490/1580
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 Harvard
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 (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

Colby College Harvard
Graduation Rate 91% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $136,700
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $200 $67

Diversity

Colby College Harvard
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 44%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Colby College Harvard
% In-State 7% 15%
% Out-of-State 79% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Colby College based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 2,299 students)

Colby College vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Harvard?

  • Colby College is 15.5% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($60,840.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.5% higher at Colby College than Harvard University ($60,840.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Harvard ($16,951 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 19.4% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,330 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Colby College (56% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 0.1% larger than aid received Colby College ($61,801 vs. $61,714)

Colby College vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 134 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Colby College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Colby College (3.86)
  • Colby College has a higher acceptance rate (7.6%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Colby College vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Colby College (97% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $63,300 more per year than Colby College graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $73,400)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $12,845 lower median federal student loan debt than Colby College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $19,345)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $133 less per month on federal student loans than Colby College graduates. ($67 vs. $200)
  • More Colby College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 70%)

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