Houghton College vs Colby College

Houghton College and Colby College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Houghton, a private Christian college in Houghton, New York, fosters a close-knit community with a strong emphasis on faith and service. Colby, a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine, is renowned for its rigorous academics and vibrant campus life. While both colleges share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Colby College logo

Colby College

Houghton College logo

Houghton College

Overview

Location Waterville, Maine Houghton, New York
Campus setting Town: Remote Rural: Remote
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% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.9% 79.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $40
SAT range 1400 - 1530 1080 - 1290
ACT range 32 - 34 20 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 40.0% 28.0%
Students submitting ACT score 28.0% 6.0%
Total number of applicants 15,857 1,008
Total number of admissions given out 1,407 797
Admitted students who chose to enroll 667 204
Yield rate 47.4% 25.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not 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 $27,846
Average net price $17,912 $24,502
Tuition $58,640 $15,900
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,150

Meal plan: $7,595
Room/dormitory: $5,288

Meal plan: $4,568
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

39.0%
Average amount $58,513
100.0%
Average amount $21,951
Students receiving federal student loan 8.0%
Average amount $5,140
62.0%
Average amount $5,120
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $18,242
18.0%
Average amount $13,866

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,262
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
863
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
Graduate students N/A 32
Men 50.0% Women 50.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 9.5% 4.9%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Rural: Remote
Dormitory capacity 2,242 1,015
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
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.6% 64.6%
Dropout rate 5.7% 13.2%
Transferred out 7.5% 22.2%
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
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,932
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,222
  • Year 2: $24,872
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,411
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A

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