Bryn Mawr College vs Colby College

Bryn Mawr College and Colby College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Bryn Mawr, a women's college in Pennsylvania, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 29%, while Colby, a coeducational college in Maine, has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 34%. Bryn Mawr students predominantly pursue majors in the humanities and social sciences, while Colby students have a wider range of options, including popular majors in the natural sciences and engineering. Both colleges foster diverse student bodies, with Bryn Mawr having a higher percentage of international students and Colby having a more balanced gender ratio. When it comes to graduation rates, Bryn Mawr slightly edges out Colby, with a rate of 89% compared to Colby's 87%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more, allowing you to assess which college better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Bryn Mawr College logo

Bryn Mawr College

Colby College logo

Colby College

Overview

Location Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Waterville, Maine
Campus setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 95.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 39.3% 8.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 1400 - 1530
ACT range N/A 32 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 40.0%
Students submitting ACT score 28.0%
Total number of applicants 3,391 15,857
Total number of admissions given out 1,334 1,407
Admitted students who chose to enroll 422 667
Yield rate 31.6% 47.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $75,690 $68,825
Average net price $34,482 $17,912
Tuition $55,025 $58,640
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,910

Meal plan: $7,460
Room/dormitory: $8,150

Meal plan: $7,595
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

69.0%
Average amount $39,058
39.0%
Average amount $58,513
Students receiving federal student loan 67.0%
Average amount $5,334
8.0%
Average amount $5,140
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $17,905
1.0%
Average amount $18,242

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,423
Men 0.0% Women 100.0%
2,262
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 355
Men 22.0% Women 78.0%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 13.1% 9.5%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 1,277 2,242
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • English Language and Literature
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Social Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 87.0% 86.6%
Dropout rate 5.7% 5.7%
Transferred out 6.2% 7.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,043
  • Year 2: $48,579
  • Year 3: $49,145
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $24,035
  • Year 3: $44,579
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $41,196
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,644
  • Year 2: $19,162
  • Year 3: $38,634
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,540
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $83,980
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,972
  • Year 2: $47,118
  • Year 3: $55,529
International/Global Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,350
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $53,638
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $42,883
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,156
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $40,423
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,612
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $44,971
  • Year 3: N/A

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