Students from lower-income backgrounds at Colby-Sawyer College achieve notably strong earnings outcomes, ranking in the top third nationally for low-income student success.
The college's focused approach to career preparation, particularly in nursing and health sciences, helps graduates manage debt successfully while building stable careers.
Colby-Sawyer College is a small private nonprofit institution in New Hampshire that serves about 1,000 students in a close-knit liberal arts environment. The college sits in the middle range nationally for earnings outcomes, with graduates earning a median of $46,474 ten years after enrollment, placing it around the 38th percentile among similar institutions.
What distinguishes Colby-Sawyer is its focused approach to career preparation, particularly in nursing and health sciences. The college's nursing program stands out as its strongest economic engine, with graduates earning $65,796 ten years out—well above the institutional median. This reflects the college's emphasis on professional programs that lead directly to stable, well-paying careers.
As a "Selective Achievers" institution, Colby-Sawyer provides strong outcomes for the students it enrolls, though it serves a more limited share of low-income students compared to larger public universities. The college's small size allows for personalized attention and mentorship, which helps explain why graduates in key programs like nursing perform well in the job market despite the institution's modest overall earnings profile.
Colby-Sawyer College's program portfolio reflects its focus on career preparation and professional training. The Adult Health Nursing program stands as the college's economic flagship, graduating 43 students annually with strong median earnings of $65,796—nearly $20,000 above the institutional average. This program combines substantial enrollment with excellent financial outcomes, making it the college's primary driver of positive return on investment.
Exercise Science and Kinesiology represents the college's largest program by enrollment with 24 graduates, though early-career earnings around $28,055 reflect the challenges many graduates face in translating this degree into immediate high-paying employment. Business Administration graduates, with 21 students earning around $47,260, achieve outcomes closer to the college median.
The concentration in health sciences and professional programs reflects Colby-Sawyer's strategic positioning as a career-focused liberal arts college. While the overall program scale is modest compared to larger institutions, the college's focused approach allows for intensive preparation in fields like nursing where graduates can expect stable, well-compensated careers immediately after graduation.
Colby-Sawyer College graduates see mixed financial outcomes depending heavily on their field of study. The overall median earnings of $46,474 ten years after enrollment places the college around the middle of the national distribution, with some graduates achieving solid financial returns while others face more modest earning potential.
The college's strongest returns come from its nursing program, which graduates 43 students annually with median earnings of $65,796—significantly higher than the institutional average. Business Administration graduates earn around $47,260, roughly in line with the college median, while Exercise Science and Kinesiology majors, despite being one of the larger programs with 24 graduates, see more challenging early-career earnings around $28,055. This variation reflects the reality that career outcomes at smaller colleges often depend heavily on program choice, with professional programs like nursing offering clearer pathways to stable, well-paying employment than more general liberal arts fields.
Colby-Sawyer College's affordability picture reflects the typical challenges of small private colleges. Low-income students pay a net price of $14,570 annually, which is reasonable for a private institution but still represents a significant financial commitment. Middle-income families face costs around $19,084 per year, while higher-income families pay about $30,198—levels that require careful financial planning for most families.
Debt levels are substantial but not unusual for private colleges. Typical graduates leave with $27,000 in federal student loan debt, and families often supplement with Parent PLUS loans averaging $27,377. The college maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, suggesting that most graduates are able to manage their debt obligations, though this likely reflects both the college's career preparation and the financial resources of families who can afford private college tuition. The combination of moderate debt levels and focused career programs helps make the investment manageable for graduates who enter stable fields like nursing.
Colby-Sawyer College Hub Overview
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