Colby College vs. MHC

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

Colby College MHC
Location Waterville, ME South Hadley, MA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,299 2,392
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #85
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu mtholyoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College MHC
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $58,280
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $58,280
Room & Board $16,330 $17,180
Avg Net Price $16,951 $35,765
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $39,304
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 80%

Admission

Colby College MHC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 4,894
Admitted 1,286 1,946
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 39.8%
Enrolled % 52.3% 28%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/34 30/34
SAT Range 1430/1540 1350/1540
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 15, 2025

Academics

Colby College MHC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Colby College MHC
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $21,206
Median Loan Payment $200 $219

Diversity

Colby College MHC
% Men 48% 1%
% Women 52% 99%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 45%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 11% 26%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Colby College MHC
% In-State 7% 16%
% Out-of-State 79% 60%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Holyoke College is larger than than Colby College based on total student enrollment (2,392 students vs. 2,299 students)

Colby College vs. MHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or MHC?

  • Colby College is 4.4% more expensive to attend than MHC for in-state tuition ($60,840.00 vs. $58,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at Colby College than Mount Holyoke College ($60,840.00 vs. $58,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than MHC ($16,951 vs. $35,765)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 5.2% lower than costs at Mount Holyoke College ($16,330 vs. $17,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than Colby College (80% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 57% larger than aid received Mount Holyoke College ($61,714 vs. $39,304)

Colby College vs. MHC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman MHC students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Colby College (3.86)
  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than Colby College (7.6%)

Colby College vs. MHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Colby College is higher than Mount Holyoke College (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Colby College earn on average $23,400 more per year than MHC graduates after ten years. ($73,400 vs. $50,000)
  • Colby College students graduate with a $1,861 lower median federal student loan debt than MHC graduates. ($19,345 vs. $21,206)
  • Colby College graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than MHC graduates. ($200 vs. $219)
  • More Colby College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MHC students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 77%)

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