Wells College vs Williams College

Wells College and Williams College, despite sharing similar names, offer distinct educational experiences. Wells, a private liberal arts college in Aurora, New York, prides itself on its small, close-knit community, with an acceptance rate of 75% and an average class size of 15. Williams, a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, is known for its rigorous academics and selective admissions, boasting an acceptance rate of 13% and an average class size of 18. While both colleges offer a range of undergraduate programs, Wells is known for its strengths in the humanities and social sciences, while Williams excels in the sciences and mathematics. Explore the comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, popular majors, graduation rates, and more, to determine which college best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Wells College logo

Wells College

Williams College logo

Williams College

Overview

Location Aurora, New York Williamstown, Massachusetts
Campus setting Rural: Distant Town: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 46.0% 97.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 68.3% 8.8%
Application fees $65
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,167 12,452
Total number of admissions given out 1,480 1,099
Admitted students who chose to enroll 140 574
Yield rate 9.5% 52.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $49,100 $78,060
Average net price $19,963 $14,487
Tuition $30,950 $59,350
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,800

Meal plan: $3,000
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)

100.0%
Average amount $27,321
52.0%
Average amount $52,053
Students receiving federal student loan 83.0%
Average amount $5,847
13.0%
Average amount $3,992
Students taking out private loans 19.0%
Average amount $13,131
2.0%
Average amount $3,884

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 342
Men 39.5% Women 60.5%
2,174
Men 48.1% Women 51.9%
Graduate students N/A 50
Men 44.0% Women 56.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 1.2% 9.8%
Campus local/setting Rural: Distant Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 442 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
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Education
  • History
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Ethnic Studies
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 55.0% 93.8%
Dropout rate 45.0% 3.1%
Transferred out N/A 1.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,774
  • Year 2: $17,560
  • Year 3: $31,573
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: N/A
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: N/A
Visual and Performing Arts, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,629
  • Year 2: N/A
  • 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

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