Liberal arts college
#1 Colleges where the most freshmen return in AmericaCharter Oak State College
New Britain, CT · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,815 a year
Median debt at graduation: $18,683 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#1 of 693
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#27 of 1,046
- Best online colleges in America#6 of 167
- Best colleges for social work in America#27 of 605
- Best colleges for nursing in America#51 of 1,068
- Best small colleges in America#48 of 906
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- Best colleges for business in America#104 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#96 of 1,318
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in America#21 of 239
- Best colleges in America#168 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#136 of 1,418
- Best value colleges in America#74 of 674
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#80 of 690
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#79 of 681
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#130 of 684
In Connecticut
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Connecticut#1 of 14
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Connecticut#1 of 14
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Connecticut#2 of 13
- Best colleges for nursing in Connecticut#3 of 17
- Best colleges for business in Connecticut#4 of 22
- Best colleges for social work in Connecticut#3 of 13
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- Best value colleges in Connecticut#3 of 13
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in Connecticut#3 of 13
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Connecticut#3 of 13
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Connecticut#3 of 13
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Connecticut#3 of 13
- Best small colleges in Connecticut#3 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.67%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.100%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.15 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$3,461
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,683 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 21% · Women 79% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 55% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 17% |
| Total students | 1,766 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,815 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $23,210 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $18,683 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 67% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 55% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 58% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 52% |
| First-year retention | 100% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,209 |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,477 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 44% |
Value: Exceptional · Top 10% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Information technology | |
| Business administration | |
| Health administration | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Psychology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Criminal justice, Family and human development, Human resources, Nursing, Security science, Social work, Sociology, Teacher education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Liberal arts and general studies | |
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Psychology | |
| Criminal justice and security |
Campus life
| Setting | Suburb |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 66% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 84% |
| Students per faculty member | 15 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 4%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 6%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $2,357IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Bradley International Airport (BDL)About 19 miles away · about 40 minutes by car |
| Town population | 74,223Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New YorkAbout 92 miles away · about 2 hours 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 29°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Hartford Brainard Field, CT, about 8 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Charter Oak State College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 10% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Charter Oak State College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,815 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How do Charter Oak State College’s graduates do?
- 67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $64,209; the median federal debt at graduation is $18,683.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 128780
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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