Colby-Sawyer vs. Manhattan School of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH with Manhattan School of Music in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Manhattan School of Music is larger than Colby-Sawyer based on total student enrollment (1,084 students vs. 972 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Colby Sawyer College is located in New London, NH (Distant Rural setting); Manhattan School of Music is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• Colby Sawyer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Manhattan School of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Colby Sawyer College 10:1; Manhattan School of Music 6:1.

Colby-Sawyer vs. Manhattan School of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby-Sawyer or Manhattan School of Music? 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 Sawyer College than Manhattan School of Music ($27,496 vs. $51,767).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby Sawyer College are 3.8% lower than at Manhattan School of Music ($17,364 vs. $18,050).
• Manhattan School of Music is 198.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colby-Sawyer (about $37,925 more per year; $57,050.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 198.3% higher at Manhattan School of Music than at Colby Sawyer College (about $37,925 more per year; $57,050.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Colby Sawyer College than at Manhattan School of Music (100% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Manhattan School of Music students is 134.3% larger than aid received by Colby Sawyer College students ($26,001 vs. $11,098).

Colby-Sawyer vs. Manhattan School of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colby-Sawyer or Manhattan School of Music? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Manhattan School of Music and Colby-Sawyer.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Colby-Sawyer - Test-free; Manhattan School of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Manhattan School of Music Dec 1, 2026.
• Colby-Sawyer has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than Manhattan School of Music (40.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13% at Colby-Sawyer vs. 25.3% at Manhattan School of Music.

Colby-Sawyer vs. Manhattan School of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Colby-Sawyer and Manhattan School of Music? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Manhattan School of Music's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Colby Sawyer College's (54%).
• Graduates from Colby Sawyer College earn a median of about $7,500 more per year than Manhattan School of Music graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,900 vs. $37,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Manhattan School of Music graduates have a $3,250 lower median loan debt than Colby-Sawyer graduates ($23,750 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Manhattan School of Music graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Colby-Sawyer graduates ($245 vs. $279).
• More Colby-Sawyer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Manhattan School of Music students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 65%)

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.