Colorado College vs. Amherst

Should I go to Colorado College or Amherst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado College or Amherst 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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Colorado College vs. Amherst College comparison
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Colorado College Amherst College
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Overview

Colorado College Amherst
Location Colorado Springs, CO Amherst, MA
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 2,203 1,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #80 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website coloradocollege.edu amherst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado College Amherst
Tuition (In State) $64,554 $63,500
Tuition (Out of State) $64,554 $63,500
Room & Board $14,376 $16,750
Avg Net Price $33,178 $21,367
Avg Grant Aid $46,160 $58,693
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 58%

Admission

Colorado College Amherst
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,846 14,864
Admitted 1,279 1,079
Acceptance Rate 16.3% 7.3%
Enrolled % 41.8% 43.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 29/33 32/35
SAT Range 1260/1480 1420/1550
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 15, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Colorado College Amherst
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Colorado College Amherst
Graduation Rate 88% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $82,000
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $12,975
Median Loan Payment $211 $134

Diversity

Colorado College Amherst
% Men 44% 48%
% Women 56% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 42%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Colorado College Amherst
% In-State 19% 13%
% Out-of-State 77% 74%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,203 students vs. 1,898 students)

Colorado College vs. Amherst Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado College or Amherst?

  • Colorado College is 1.7% more expensive to attend than Amherst for in-state tuition ($64,554.00 vs. $63,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at Colorado College than Amherst College ($64,554.00 vs. $63,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Colorado College ($21,367 vs. $33,178)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado College are 16.5% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,376 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Colorado College (58% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 27.2% larger than aid received Colorado College ($58,693 vs. $46,160)

Colorado College vs. Amherst Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Colorado College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Amherst (3.91)
  • Colorado College has a higher acceptance rate (16.3%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Colorado College vs. Amherst Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado College or Amherst? 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 Amherst and Colorado College.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Colorado College (96% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $36,000 more per year than Colorado College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $46,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $7,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $20,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado College graduates. ($134 vs. $211)
  • More Colorado College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 83%)

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