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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia Brown Penn Hamilton College UChicago Colgate| Colby College | Harvard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Colby College | Harvard | ||
| Location | Waterville, ME | Cambridge, MA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,284 | 30,386 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #37 | #4 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colby.edu | harvard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colby College | Harvard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,790 | $54,269 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,790 | $54,269 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,120 | $20,374 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,163 | $17,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $66,387 | $64,942 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 57% |
Admission |
Colby College | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 56,937 | ||
| Admitted | 1,215 | 1,965 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.8% | 3.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 49.8% | 83.7% | ||
| 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 | 1440/1550 | 1500/1580 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Colby College | Harvard | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 7:1 | ||
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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 | 0% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 38% | ||
| 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% | 70% | ||
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 (30,386 students vs. 2,284 students)
Colby College vs. Harvard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Harvard?
- Colby College is 17.5% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($63,790.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 17.5% higher at Colby College than Harvard University ($63,790.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Harvard ($15,163 vs. $17,900)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 19% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,120 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Colby College (57% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 2.2% larger than aid received Harvard University ($66,387 vs. $64,942)
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 (6.8%) than Harvard (3.5%)
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/