Colby acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Colby College · Private nonprofit · Waterville, ME · 2,284 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Colby admitted 6.8% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 26.0% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $72,910 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 26.0% | 5,407 | 1,408 |
| 2014 | 28.0% | 5,148 | 1,444 |
| 2015 | 22.5% | 7,593 | 1,710 |
| 2016 | 18.7% | 9,833 | 1,840 |
| 2017 | 15.8% | 11,190 | 1,767 |
| 2018 | 13.1% | 12,313 | 1,608 |
| 2019 | 9.7% | 13,584 | 1,314 |
| 2020 | 10.3% | 13,922 | 1,430 |
| 2021 | 8.9% | 15,857 | 1,407 |
| 2022 | 7.6% | 16,890 | 1,286 |
| 2023 | 6.8% | 17,786 | 1,215 |
Applications went from 5,407 in fall 2013 to 17,786 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $5,263 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $2,358 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $3,132 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $10,750 |
| Over $110,000 | $53,340 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $72,910 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $89,190 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $19,835 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 36% submitted the SAT, 18% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Duke NC | 6.8% | $72,795 same for all |
| Swarthmore PA | 6.9% | $69,226 same for all |
| Northwestern IL | 7.2% | $70,589 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Colby College admitted 1,215 students from 17,786 applications for fall 2023, which is a rate of 6.8%.1 In fall 2013 the rate was 26.0%, so it has dropped 19.2 percentage points.1 The decline was steady, showing up in 8 of 10 yearly changes.1 The applicant count rose 229%, from 5,407 to 17,786, while the number of admitted students fell 14%, from 1,408 to 1,215.1
Colby lets applicants decide whether to send scores. Those who did in 2023 landed between 710 and 760 in the middle 50% on SAT reading and writing, between 730 and 790 on SAT math, and between 32 and 34 on the ACT.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $72,910 for every student, compared with a $45,822 median across 10 private colleges in Maine.2 Grant aid shapes net price strongly: the 2024-25 average was $2,358 for families earning $30,001 to $48,000, $3,132 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $53,340 for over $110,000.2
Among 2019 entrants, 87% graduated within 6 years, and 94% of fall 2023 entrants returned the following year.2 Median earnings were $88,776 10 years after entry, compared with $57,136 for the state median.2 Federal borrowers left with a median of $18,000, and 16% of undergraduates received Pell grants.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 17,786 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 1,215 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 605 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 2,284 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 710 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 730 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 790 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 32 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 36% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 18% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $72,910 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $89,190 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $19,835 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $5,263 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $2,358 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $3,132 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $10,750 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $53,340 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 87% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 94% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 16% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $88,776 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Maine (N = 10) | $45,822 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Maine (N = 17) | $57,136 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Colby, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page