Elms College vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to College of Our Lady of the Elms or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Elms College or Lafayette College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Lehigh Bucknell Villanova Fordham Union College Skidmore College Colgate University of Richmond Trinity College Denison BU Muhlenberg College
College of Our Lady of the Elms vs. Lafayette College comparison
College of Our Lady of the Elms Lafayette College College 3 College 4
College of Our Lady of the Elms Lafayette College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Elms College Lafayette College
Location Chicopee, MA Easton, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,332 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #66
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elms College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $61,482
Room & Board $15,150 $18,640
Avg Net Price $22,311 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 52%

Admission

Elms College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 9,874
Admitted 1,264 3,107
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 31.5%
Enrolled % 15.5% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33
SAT Range 1150/1320 1340/1490
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 15, 2026

Academics

Elms College Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Elms College Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 58% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

Elms College Lafayette College
% Men 4% 0%
% Women 18% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 67%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 24% 7%

Students

Elms College Lafayette College
% In-State 71% 13%
% Out-of-State 26% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (2,764 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elms College or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 53.3% more expensive to attend than Elms College for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.3% higher at Lafayette College than College of Our Lady of the Elms ($61,482.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Lafayette College ($22,311 vs. $34,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 23% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,150 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Lafayette College (100% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 42.3% larger than aid received College of Our Lady of the Elms ($44,126 vs. $31,015)

Elms College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 318 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Lafayette College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Elms College (3.42)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

Elms College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elms College or Lafayette College? 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 Lafayette College and Elms College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (88% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $34,700 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $46,300)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 61%)

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