Colby College vs. Harvard

Deciding between Colby College and Harvard University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Colby College
Harvard University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Colby College Waterville, ME
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Setting
  • Colby College Remote Town
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Colby College 2,412
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Type
  • Colby College Private 4 Year
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Colby College #39
  • Harvard #4
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Colby College -
  • Harvard -
  • Status
  • Colby College Non-profit
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Colby College
  • Harvard

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Colby College $69,600
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Colby College $69,600
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Room & Board
  • Colby College $17,890
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Average Net Price
  • Colby College $16,219
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Colby College $69,201
  • Harvard $68,015
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Colby College 45%
  • Harvard 56%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Colby College 19,187
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Admitted
  • Colby College 1,360
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Colby College 7.1%
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Colby College 46.2%
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Colby College 1510
  • Harvard 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Colby College 33
  • Harvard 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Colby College 3.86
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Colby College A
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Colby College Elite
  • Harvard Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Colby College Extreme
  • Harvard Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Colby College 32/34
  • Harvard 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Colby College 1460/1550
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Colby College Test optional
  • Harvard Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Colby College Jan 1, 2027
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Colby College 9:1
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Colby College
    • Social Sciences (23%)
    • General Studies (13%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
    • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Colby College 49%
  • Harvard 46%
  • % Women
  • Colby College 51%
  • Harvard 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Colby College Medium
  • Harvard Very High
  • HBCU
  • Colby College No
  • Harvard No
  • % White
  • Colby College 62%
  • Harvard 44%
  • % Asian
  • Colby College 6%
  • Harvard 19%
  • % Black
  • Colby College 3%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Colby College 6%
  • Harvard 10%
  • % Native American
  • Colby College 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Colby College 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Colby College 5%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % International
  • Colby College 11%
  • Harvard 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Colby College 7%
  • Harvard 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Colby College 8%
  • Harvard 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Colby College 76%
  • Harvard 68%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Colby College in Waterville, ME with Harvard University in Cambridge, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harvard University is larger than Colby College based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 2,412 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Colby College is located in Waterville, ME (Remote Town setting); Harvard University is in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Colby College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Colby College 9:1; Harvard University 7:1.

Colby College vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Harvard? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Harvard ($16,219 vs. $17,525).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 15.6% lower than at Harvard University ($17,890 vs. $21,190).
  • Colby College is 12.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harvard (about $7,924 more per year; $69,600.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12.8% higher at Colby College than at Harvard University (about $7,924 more per year; $69,600.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Harvard University than at Colby College (56% vs. 45%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 1.7% larger than aid received by Harvard University students ($69,201 vs. $68,015).

Colby College vs. Harvard Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colby College or Harvard? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Harvard and Colby College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Harvard University (1550) is 40 points higher than at Colby College (1510).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 33 at Colby College).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Colby College 1460/1550; Harvard University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Colby College 32/34; Harvard University 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Colby College - Test optional; Harvard - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Colby College Jan 1, 2027; Harvard Jan 1, 2027.
  • 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 (7.1%) than Harvard (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 46.2% at Colby College vs. 83.6% at Harvard.

Colby College vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Colby College and Harvard? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Harvard University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than Colby College's (91%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $63,300 more per year than Colby College graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $73,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $12,845 lower median loan debt than Colby College graduates ($6,500 vs. $19,345).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $133 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.