Colby College vs Sarah Lawrence College

Colby College and Sarah Lawrence College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Colby, located in Waterville, Maine, boasts a lower acceptance rate (13.4%) compared to Sarah Lawrence's (58.4%) in Bronxville, New York. While Colby's student body is predominantly White (73.4%), Sarah Lawrence's is more diverse, with 48.4% White, 16.4% Hispanic, 12.6% Asian, and 10.6% Black students. Colby's popular majors include Economics, Biology, and Government, while Sarah Lawrence students often pursue majors in Writing, Visual Arts, and Psychology. With a higher graduation rate (92%) than Sarah Lawrence's (86%), Colby's alumni may have an advantage in the job market. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more distinctions between these two exceptional colleges and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Colby College logo

Colby College

Sarah Lawrence College logo

Sarah Lawrence College

Overview

Location Waterville, Maine Bronxville, New York
Campus setting Town: Remote Suburb: Large
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 95.0% 88.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.9% 58.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1400 - 1530 1260 - 1470
ACT range 32 - 34 29 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 40.0% 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 28.0% 9.0%
Total number of applicants 15,857 4,452
Total number of admissions given out 1,407 2,603
Admitted students who chose to enroll 667 438
Yield rate 47.4% 16.8%
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) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $68,825 $77,228
Average net price $17,912 $34,091
Tuition $58,640 $58,936
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,150

Meal plan: $7,595
Room/dormitory: $10,774

Meal plan: $5,584
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

39.0%
Average amount $58,513
90.0%
Average amount $36,103
Students receiving federal student loan 8.0%
Average amount $5,140
48.0%
Average amount $5,321
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $18,242
5.0%
Average amount $18,443

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,262
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
1,529
Men 21.8% Women 78.2%
Graduate students N/A 237
Men 16.5% Women 83.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 9.5% 8.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,242 1,075
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
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
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • English Language and Literature
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.6% 76.5%
Dropout rate 5.7% 14.2%
Transferred out 7.5% 9.1%
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
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,795
  • Year 2: $71,854
  • Year 3: $79,341
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,995
  • Year 2: $28,443
  • Year 3: $34,788
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,028
  • Year 2: $21,873
  • Year 3: $29,006
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: $26,708
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: N/A
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,966
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: N/A

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