Colby College vs. Vassar

Should I go to Colby College or Vassar College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colby College or Vassar 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. Vassar College comparison
Colby College Vassar College College 3 College 4
Colby College Vassar College
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Overview

Colby College Vassar
Location Waterville, ME Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,284 2,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #37 #46
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College Vassar
Tuition (In State) $63,790 $66,870
Tuition (Out of State) $63,790 $66,870
Room & Board $17,120 $17,415
Avg Net Price $15,163 $29,733
Avg Grant Aid $66,387 $53,840
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 58%

Admission

Colby College Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 12,145
Admitted 1,215 2,153
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 17.7%
Enrolled % 49.8% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/34 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1435/1550
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 Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

Colby College Vassar
Graduation Rate 91% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $200 $163

Diversity

Colby College Vassar
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 0% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 59%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

Colby College Vassar
% In-State 7% 28%
% Out-of-State 79% 64%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Vassar College is larger than than Colby College based on total student enrollment (2,456 students vs. 2,284 students)

Colby College vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 4.8% more expensive to attend than Colby College for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $63,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at Vassar than Colby College ($66,870.00 vs. $63,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Vassar ($15,163 vs. $29,733)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 1.7% lower than costs at Vassar College ($17,120 vs. $17,415)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Colby College (58% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 23.3% larger than aid received Vassar College ($66,387 vs. $53,840)

Colby College vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vassar College (1405) is 42 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
  • Incoming Vassar students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Colby College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Colby College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.86) as students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (17.7%) than Colby College (6.8%)

Colby College vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Colby College is the same as at Vassar College (91% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Colby College earn on average $15,000 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($73,400 vs. $58,400)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $3,565 lower median federal student loan debt than Colby College graduates. ($15,780 vs. $19,345)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Colby College graduates. ($163 vs. $200)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colby College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 88%)

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