Pomona vs. Colby College

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

Claremont McKenna HMC Hamilton College Colgate Middlebury Stanford USC Tufts Cal Poly Vassar UCLA BC
Pomona College vs. Colby College comparison
Pomona College Colby College College 3 College 4
Pomona College Colby College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Pomona Colby College
Location Claremont, CA Waterville, ME
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 1,664 2,284
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #20 #37
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pomona.edu colby.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pomona Colby College
Tuition (In State) $61,906 $63,790
Tuition (Out of State) $61,906 $63,790
Room & Board $20,374 $17,120
Avg Net Price $17,423 $15,163
Avg Grant Aid $63,773 $66,387
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 42%

Admission

Pomona Colby College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,121 17,786
Admitted 819 1,215
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 6.8%
Enrolled % 49.8% 49.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/34
SAT Range 1480/1560 1440/1550
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 8, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Pomona Colby College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Pomona Colby College
Graduation Rate 95% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,500 $73,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $19,345
Median Loan Payment $113 $200

Diversity

Pomona Colby College
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 40% 62%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 7%

Students

Pomona Colby College
% In-State 30% 7%
% Out-of-State 51% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colby College is larger than than Pomona based on total student enrollment (2,284 students vs. 1,664 students)

Pomona vs. Colby College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pomona or Colby College?

  • Colby College is 3% more expensive to attend than Pomona for in-state tuition ($63,790.00 vs. $61,906.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Colby College than Pomona College ($63,790.00 vs. $61,906.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Pomona ($15,163 vs. $17,423)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 19% lower than costs at Pomona College ($17,120 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pomona College than Colby College (56% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 4.1% larger than aid received Pomona College ($66,387 vs. $63,773)

Pomona vs. Colby College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pomona College (1435) is 72 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Colby College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Pomona students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Colby College (3.86)
  • Colby College has a higher acceptance rate (6.8%) than Pomona (6.8%)

Pomona vs. Colby College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pomona or Colby 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 Colby College and Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than Colby College (95% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Colby College earn on average $2,900 more per year than Pomona graduates after ten years. ($73,400 vs. $70,500)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $8,345 lower median federal student loan debt than Colby College graduates. ($11,000 vs. $19,345)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Colby College graduates. ($113 vs. $200)

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