Colby College vs United States Military Academy

Colby College and United States Military Academy (USMA) stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. Colby, a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine, boasts a 12% acceptance rate and a diverse student body representing over 60 countries. USMA, a public military academy in West Point, New York, offers a rigorous education focused on leadership and military science, with an acceptance rate of 10% and a student body composed primarily of U.S. citizens. While both institutions excel in their respective fields, they differ in popular majors, with Colby emphasizing the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, and USMA specializing in engineering, social sciences, and military science. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal goals.
Colby College logo

Colby College

United States Military Academy logo

United States Military Academy

Overview

Location Waterville, Maine West Point, New York
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.9% 10.7%
Application fees
SAT range 1400 - 1530 1200 - 1440
ACT range 32 - 34 28 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 40.0% 78.0%
Students submitting ACT score 28.0% 62.0%
Total number of applicants 15,857 13,955
Total number of admissions given out 1,407 1,488
Admitted students who chose to enroll 667 1,201
Yield rate 47.4% 80.7%
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 Required

Tuition and Fees

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

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

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

39.0%
Average amount $58,513
Students receiving federal student loan 8.0%
Average amount $5,140
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $18,242

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,262
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
4,594
Men 76.3% Women 23.7%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
N/A
Out-of-state students N/A 93.8%
International students 9.5% N/A
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 2,242 4,700
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Texas California New York Florida New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education EXEMPT

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.6% 83.6%
Dropout rate 5.7% 12.9%
Transferred out 7.5% 3.3%
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
N/A