Williams vs. Olin College

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

Williams Olin College
Location Williamstown, MA Needham, MA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,168 402
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #13
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website williams.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Williams Olin College
Tuition (In State) $64,540 $59,972
Tuition (Out of State) $64,540 $59,972
Room & Board $16,300 $19,820
Avg Net Price $16,988 $40,370
Avg Grant Aid $64,176 $41,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 100%

Admission

Williams Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,465 928
Admitted 1,145 201
Acceptance Rate 10% 21.7%
Enrolled % 47.2% 48.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1470/1560 1480/1560
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 10, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Williams Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Williams Olin College
Graduation Rate 95% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 83% -
Median Student Loan Debt $14,582 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $150 $152

Diversity

Williams Olin College
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 1% 3%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 53%
% Black 8% 0%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 11%

Students

Williams Olin College
% In-State 14% 12%
% Out-of-State 75% 79%

Campus

Williams Olin 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

  • Williams College is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,168 students vs. 402 students)

Williams vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Williams or Olin College?

  • Williams College is 7.6% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($64,540.00 vs. $59,972.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.6% higher at Williams than Olin College of Engineering ($64,540.00 vs. $59,972.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Williams College than Olin College ($16,988 vs. $40,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Williams College are 21.6% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($16,300 vs. $19,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Williams College (100% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Williams College students is 56.1% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($64,176 vs. $41,116)

Williams vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 64 points higher than at Williams (1442)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Williams (33)
  • Accepted freshman Williams students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Olin College (3.9)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (21.7%) than Williams (10%)

Williams vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Williams or Olin 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 Olin College and Williams.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Williams College (96% vs. 95%)
  • Williams College students graduate with a $128 lower median federal student loan debt than Olin College graduates. ($14,582 vs. $14,710)
  • Williams graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Olin College graduates. ($150 vs. $152)

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