Hamilton College vs. Lafayette College

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

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Hamilton College vs. Lafayette College comparison
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Hamilton College Lafayette College
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Overview

Hamilton College Lafayette College
Location Clinton, NY Easton, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,072 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #28 #65
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hamilton.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Hamilton College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $62,050 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $62,050 $58,110
Room & Board $15,910 $17,336
Avg Net Price $24,503 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $52,497 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 98%

Admission

Hamilton College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,899 10,500
Admitted 1,166 3,531
Acceptance Rate 11.8% 33.6%
Enrolled % 41% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/34 30/33
SAT Range 1420/1540 1330/1480
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 5, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Hamilton College Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Hamilton College Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 89% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,000 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,760 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $162 $268

Diversity

Hamilton College Lafayette College
% Men 45% 50%
% Women 55% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 67%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

Hamilton College Lafayette College
% In-State 25% 16%
% Out-of-State 66% 76%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Hamilton College based on total student enrollment (2,729 students vs. 2,072 students)

Hamilton College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

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

  • Hamilton College is 6.8% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($62,050.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at Hamilton College than Lafayette College ($62,050.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hamilton College than Lafayette College ($24,503 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hamilton College are 9% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,910 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Hamilton College (98% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hamilton College students is 110.1% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($52,497 vs. $24,981)

Hamilton College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Hamilton College students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (33.6%) than Hamilton College (11.8%)

Hamilton College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hamilton 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 Hamilton College.

  • The graduation rate at Hamilton College is higher than Lafayette College (89% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $2,000 more per year than Hamilton College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $79,000)
  • Hamilton College students graduate with a $10,240 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($15,760 vs. $26,000)
  • Hamilton College graduates are paying $106 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($162 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hamilton College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 90%)

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