Colby College
Waterville, ME · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Colby College admitted 7.1% of applicants university-wide (1,360 of 19,187).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 7.1% | 1,360 | 19,187 |
| Men | 7.3% | 690 | 9,391 |
| Women | 6.8% | 670 | 9,785 |
Of 1,360 admitted students, 628 enrolled (46.2% yield).
Colby College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1460–1550
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 32–34
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Colby College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $88,340/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $69,600 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $18,740 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $88,340/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $4,049 |
| $30k–48k | $1,251 |
| $48k–75k | $3,666 |
| $75k–110k | $12,106 |
| Over $110k | $46,511 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Presidential Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Presidential)
- Dean's Scholarship — Up to $15,000 per year (Merit)
- Colby College Grant — Varies (meets full demonstrated need) (Need Based)
- Colby College International Financial Aid — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.
- Presidential Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Presidential)
- Dean's Scholarship — Up to $15,000 per year (Merit)
- Colby College Grant — Varies (meets full demonstrated need) (Need Based)
- Colby College International Financial Aid — Varies (Need Based)
Colby College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Completed Application for Admission (Common Application, Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application)
- High school transcript and secondary school report
- Counselor recommendation
- Two teacher recommendations
- Early Decision Agreement Form
- Completed Financial Aid Application
- English Language Proficiency Test Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo)
- Standardized Test Scores (optional)
- Additional Recommendation Letters (optional)
- Video Interview (InitialView, Vericant, Duolingo) (optional)
- Arts Supplement (optional)
- Schoolhouse.world Portfolio (optional)
- InitialView Elevator Pitch (optional)
International applicants
- Completed Application for Admission (Common Application, Coalition Application, or QuestBridge Application)
- High school transcript and secondary school report
- Counselor recommendation
- Two teacher recommendations
- Early Decision Agreement Form
- Completed Financial Aid Application
- English Language Proficiency Test Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo)
- Standardized Test Scores (optional)
- Additional Recommendation Letters (optional)
- Video Interview (InitialView, Vericant, Duolingo) (optional)
- Arts Supplement (optional)
- Schoolhouse.world Portfolio (optional)
- InitialView Elevator Pitch (optional)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Colby College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 3 college-specific supplements:
- Colby is a community where students are known, supported, and challenged. Tell us about a meaningful experience you’ve had and how it has shaped you.250 words · Required
- Why Colby?250 words · Optional
- Colby’s mission is to provide a transformative educational experience in a supportive, collaborative community. How do you see yourself contributing to Colby’s community?250 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $80,490
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 88.8%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 93.7%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $19,157
- At graduation
Colby College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News Liberal Arts: #24
- WSJ: #42
- Forbes: #71
- Niche: #89
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Social sciences (28%), Biological & life sciences (13%), Psychology (9%).
Colby College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.