Williams College vs Colby College

Williams College and Colby College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Williams, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, boasts a lower acceptance rate (12.6%) compared to Colby's (15.4%) in Waterville, Maine. While Williams excels in majors like Economics, English, and Political Science, Colby's strengths lie in Biology, Psychology, and Government. Williams' student body is slightly larger, with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,126 compared to Colby's 1,864. Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, with Williams at 96% and Colby at 94%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these colleges' costs, financial aid, and other crucial factors that will help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.

	Colby College	Williams College
Overview
Location	Waterville, Maine	Williamstown, Massachusetts
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Town: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	95.0%	97.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	8.9%	8.8%
Application fees		$65
SAT range	1400 - 1530	N/A
ACT range	32 - 34	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	40.0%
Students submitting ACT score	28.0%
Total number of applicants	15,857	12,452
Total number of admissions given out	1,407	1,099
Admitted students who chose to enroll	667	574
Yield rate	47.4%	52.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$68,825	$78,060
Average net price	$17,912	$14,487
Tuition	$58,640	$59,350
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,150 Meal plan: $7,595	Room/dormitory: $7,625 Meal plan: $7,375
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	39.0% Average amount $58,513	52.0% Average amount $52,053
Students receiving federal student loan	8.0% Average amount $5,140	13.0% Average amount $3,992
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $18,242	2.0% Average amount $3,884

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,262 Men 47.1% Women 52.9%	2,174 Men 48.1% Women 51.9%
Graduate students	N/A	50 Men 44.0% Women 56.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	9.5%	9.8%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	2,242	2,045
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Social Sciences Psychology Multidisciplinary Studies Mathematics and Statistics Natural Resources and Conservation	Mathematics and Statistics Visual & Performing Arts Social Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures Ethnic Studies
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	6:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	86.6%	93.8%
Dropout rate	5.7%	3.1%
Transferred out	7.5%	1.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $109,470 Year 2: $96,183 Year 3: $99,047 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $83,280 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $91,723 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,217 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: $63,034 Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,948 Year 2: $44,384 Year 3: $48,967 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,036 Year 2: $49,464 Year 3: $44,771 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,993 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $43,402 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,135 Year 2: $40,461 Year 3: $41,065 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,760 Year 2: $34,704 Year 3: $37,587 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,029 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $26,432 Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,668 Year 2: $25,525 Year 3: $14,771

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key academic differences between Williams College and Colby College?

Williams College is known for its strong humanities and social sciences programs, with a distinctive tutorial system that emphasizes close interaction between students and faculty. Colby College, while also strong in the humanities, has developed particular strengths in environmental studies, global studies, and data science, reflecting its commitment to interdisciplinary learning and research.
How do the campus environments and locations compare?

Williams College is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, a small, rural town in the Berkshire Mountains, offering a classic New England college town experience. Colby College is situated in Waterville, Maine, a small city undergoing revitalization, providing a blend of urban and rural settings with access to outdoor activities and cultural opportunities.
What is the size and selectivity of each college?

Williams College is a highly selective liberal arts college with a smaller student body, typically around 2,000 undergraduates. Colby College is also highly selective but has a slightly larger undergraduate population, usually around 2,200 students. Both colleges attract academically talented students from diverse backgrounds.
How do the financial aid policies compare between Williams and Colby?

Both Williams and Colby College are committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students. They both offer need-based financial aid packages that may include grants, scholarships, and student loans. It's best to use their respective Net Price Calculators to estimate your individual cost of attendance.
What are the most popular majors at Williams College and Colby College?

At Williams College, popular majors include Economics, Political Science, English, and Biology. At Colby College, popular majors include Economics, Government, Biology, and Environmental Studies. Both colleges offer a wide range of academic disciplines, encouraging students to explore their interests.
What opportunities are available for studying abroad at each college?

Both Williams and Colby College offer extensive study abroad programs. Williams College has its own programs in several countries and also allows students to participate in approved programs offered by other institutions. Colby College has a strong emphasis on global engagement and offers a variety of semester and year-long programs around the world, often with a focus on research and experiential learning.
How do the athletic programs compare at Williams and Colby?

Both Williams and Colby College are members of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), known for its competitive Division III athletics. Williams College has a long-standing tradition of athletic excellence, often winning the Directors' Cup for overall athletic achievement. Colby College has invested significantly in its athletic facilities and programs in recent years, becoming increasingly competitive within the NESCAC.
What is the social scene like at Williams College versus Colby College?

Williams College, being in a more isolated location, tends to have a more campus-centric social scene, with a strong emphasis on student-led activities and traditions. Colby College, while also having a vibrant campus life, benefits from its proximity to Waterville, offering students access to local restaurants, shops, and cultural events. Both colleges foster a close-knit community.
What career services and alumni networks are available at each institution?

Both Williams and Colby College provide comprehensive career services, including advising, internships, and networking opportunities. Williams College has a well-established alumni network that is highly engaged in supporting current students and recent graduates. Colby College has been actively expanding its career services and alumni network, particularly through initiatives like the DavisConnects program, which guarantees funding for global experiences, internships, and research opportunities for all students.
What are some unique aspects of Williams College that Colby College doesn't offer, and vice versa?

A unique aspect of Williams College is its tutorial system, where students work closely with professors in small groups. Colby College's DavisConnects program, guaranteeing funding for global experiences, internships, and research, is a distinctive feature not found at Williams in the same comprehensive way. Colby's emphasis on environmental studies and its location in a revitalizing city also set it apart.

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.

Colby College

Colorado College