Liberal arts college
#22 Best colleges for education in AmericaColby College
Waterville, ME · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $17,180 a year
Median debt at graduation: $19,157 (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 with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#7 of 690
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#9 of 682
- Best colleges for education in America#22 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#42 of 1,829
- Most selective colleges in America#17 of 683
- Best test-optional colleges in America#38 of 1,481
Show 24 more
- Best colleges for psychology in America#37 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#38 of 1,358
- Best colleges for art and design in America#36 of 1,187
- Best colleges for English in America#40 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#41 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#41 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#41 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#38 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#41 of 1,116
- Best mid-size colleges in America#27 of 667
- Best colleges for computer science in America#31 of 750
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#19 of 430
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#89 of 1,829
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in America#12 of 239
- Best colleges for economics in America#41 of 788
- Best value colleges in America#49 of 674
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#15 of 197
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#52 of 681
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#49 of 598
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#82 of 704
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#107 of 690
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#112 of 693
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#147 of 684
In Maine
- Best colleges in Maine#2 of 19
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Maine#1 of 9
- Most selective colleges in Maine#1 of 9
- Best mid-size colleges in Maine#1 of 8
- Best test-optional colleges in Maine#2 of 15
- Best colleges for art and design in Maine#2 of 13
Show 18 more
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Maine#2 of 13
- Best colleges for education in Maine#2 of 13
- Best colleges for English in Maine#2 of 13
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Maine#3 of 19
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Maine#2 of 11
- Best colleges for psychology in Maine#2 of 11
- Best colleges for history in Maine#2 of 9
- Best colleges for mathematics in Maine#2 of 9
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Maine#2 of 9
- Best value colleges in Maine#2 of 9
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in Maine#2 of 9
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Maine#2 of 9
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Maine#2 of 9
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Maine#2 of 9
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Maine#2 of 9
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Maine#2 of 9
- Best colleges for chemistry in Maine#2 of 8
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Maine#2 of 8
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.89%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,501 · ACT 33
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$27,972
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))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $85,420 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,284 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 49% · Women 51% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 11% |
| Total students | 2,284 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $17,180 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $85,420 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,157 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 89% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 87% |
| First-year retention | 94% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $80,490 |
| Admission rate | 7% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 14% |
| Average SAT | 1501 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 720–760 |
| SAT math | 740–790 |
| ACT composite | 32–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 5% (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 |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Political science | |
| Area studies | |
| Natural resources and conservation |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biology, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Computer science, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Education (general), English, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Fine arts, General studies, Geology and earth science, German, Global studies, History, Human Computer Interaction, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Music, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Religious studies, Romance languages, Science, Technology and Society, Sociology, Statistics, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology | |
| Natural resources | |
| Interdisciplinary studies |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,890 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · New England Small College Athletic Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 24%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 93%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $488,884IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 99% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Bangor International Airport (BGR)About 44 miles away · about 1 hour 10 minutes by car |
| Town population | 17,077Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 168 miles away · about 3 hours 40 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 19°F in January · 70°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Waterville Trtmt Plt, ME, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.49 | 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 Colby College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 3% 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 Colby College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $17,180 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 hard is it to get into Colby College?
- Colby College admitted 7% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Colby College’s graduates do?
- 89% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $80,490; the median federal debt at graduation is $19,157.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 161086
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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