Bates College vs Hillsdale College
Bates College and Hillsdale College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Bates, a liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine, boasts a 13% acceptance rate and a diverse student body, with 48% female and 52% male students. Hillsdale, a private liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan, has a higher acceptance rate of 58% and a more evenly split gender ratio, with 49% female and 51% male students. While Bates is known for its strengths in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, Hillsdale is renowned for its focus on the liberal arts and Western heritage. Both colleges offer a variety of popular majors, including economics, political science, and history, but they differ in their graduation rates, with Bates boasting a higher rate of 88% compared to Hillsdale's 83%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these two exceptional institutions and determine
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![]() Bates College |
![]() Hillsdale College |
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Overview |
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Location | Lewiston, Maine | Hillsdale, Michigan |
Campus setting | City: Small | Town: Distant |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | 4-1-4 | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 92.0% | 94.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Undenominational | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 17.3% | 23.7% |
Application fees | $60 |
Undergraduate:
$35
Graduate:
$25
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SAT range | N/A | 1340 - 1510 |
ACT range | N/A | 30 - 34 |
Students submitting SAT score | 22.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 38.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 7,319 | 2,994 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,267 | 709 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 553 | 397 |
Yield rate | 43.6% | 56.0% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $77,870 | $45,382 |
Average net price | $26,231 | $24,057 |
Tuition | $59,062 | $28,730 |
Room & board | $16,658 |
Room/dormitory:
$6,020
Meal plan:
$6,120
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
36.0%
Average amount $50,509 |
100.0%
Average amount $20,535 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
12.0%
Average amount $4,182 |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
Students taking out private loans |
3.0%
Average amount $23,825 |
34.0%
Average amount $10,497 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,821
Men 48.6% Women 51.4% |
1,515
Men 50.6% Women 49.4% |
Graduate students | N/A |
87
Men 67.8% Women 32.2% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
N/A |
Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | 8.7% | N/A |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Town: Distant |
Dormitory capacity | 1,816 | 1,124 |
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 |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 10:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 91.7% | 87.6% |
Dropout rate | 2.3% | 8.3% |
Transferred out | 5.8% | 3.9% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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N/A |
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