1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Colby College Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Colby College ME · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #268 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/colby-college/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/colby-college/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/colby-college/admissions/)[Majors](/school/colby-college/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/colby-college/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Colby College #268 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Colby College is a private nonprofit university in Waterville, Maine, where the largest share of degrees is in Social Sciences. Return is among the highest we track, and the admission rate sits far below the median for comparable institutions. Graduates earn above the median at comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the four-year earnings figure counts only graduates who are not enrolled. Aid covers most of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The lowest income band pays far less than the highest, and affordability is around the average. A student drawn to the social sciences should know that the largest programs are also the best-paid ones. ## Colby College at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 7.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 88.8% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $77,429 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $3,666 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,157 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $59,570 ## Colby College rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Colby College is a private nonprofit university in Waterville, Maine, enrolling 2,407 undergraduates. Its composite standing sits in the top fifth of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (82nd percentile). The college admits 7.1% of applicants, a rate far below the 71.2% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Among full-time first-year students, 93.7% return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.4%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 88.8%, well above the peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 1.6% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the graduation rate describes nearly the entire student body. The four pillars that make up the composite are spread across the ranking. Return is the strongest, at the 90th percentile. Access and mobility sit in the middle of the field, while affordability is the weakest of the four. The shape is a selective private college where graduates earn well, and where the price a family pays depends heavily on income. Azimuth evaluates Colby College across four pillars among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, at the 90th percentile. Affordability is the weakest, at the 54th percentile. Access sits at the 65th percentile and mobility at the 61st percentile. The return pillar is at the 90th percentile and the affordability pillar at the 54th percentile. The middle 50% of submitted SAT scores at Colby College fell between 1,460 and 1,550. For the ACT, the middle 50% ranged from 32 to 34. 14.3% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Colby College #512 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access pillar reflects the share of students receiving Pell Grants and their outcomes. Azimuth ranks Colby College #456 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility pillar considers both the enrollment of Pell-eligible students and their completion rates. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Colby College rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #268 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 61 **Access & reach** National percentile: 65 **[Affordability](/school/colby-college/cost/)** National percentile: 54 **[Return on investment](/school/colby-college/outcomes/)** National percentile: 90 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Political Science and Government**#5** 2. Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#35** 3. Economics**#44** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/colby-college/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Colby College briefing ## [Colby College cost & financial aid](/school/colby-college/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Colby College lists a published cost of attendance of $85,420, an average across living arrangements. Tuition and fees are $69,600 and room and board is $17,890. For the average aid recipient, financial aid reduces that sticker price by $68,240, bringing the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) down to $17,180. That average net price is $10,191 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #651 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The net price varies sharply by income, with the lowest band paying far less than the highest. The spread between those two ends is $42,462, a sign of how much the aid formula shifts the cost across the income scale. The published cost of attendance at Colby College is $85,420 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #651 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $4,049, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $3,666, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $46,511. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $42,462. Aid covers about 80% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price across all bands to $17,180. That is $10,191 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $19,157 in federal student loans, $5,042 below the $24,199 peer median. 71.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $59,570. If repaid over ten years, the median student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $218 a month. It estimates your cost and debt scenarios based on your family's finances. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$3,666** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Colby College Borrowers who complete a degree at Colby College leave with a median of $19,157 in federal student loans. 71.0% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. That median is $5,042 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $59,570. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $77,429. That figure sits in the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings picture varies with the program mix. The typical earnings scenario is $77,429, while the downside scenario is $48,903 and the upside scenario reaches $103,081. On the debt side, the median federal student loan balance of $19,157 is $5,042 below the peer median. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $218 a month if repaid over ten years. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $59,570. For student borrowers, the median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $218 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $19,157 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $59,570 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $218/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $757/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=colby-college#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/colby-college/cost/) 02 / Colby College briefing ## [Colby College career outcomes & earnings](/school/colby-college/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $77,429. That figure sits at the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median is $9,179 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar at the 90th percentile. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $77,429. That figure sits $9,179 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions. This places the college in the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort for this measure is 210 completers. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a typical figure of $77,429, with a downside scenario of $48,903 and an upside scenario of $103,081. These are scenarios, not observed groups of graduates. An estimated 40.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Among federally aided completers at Colby College who are working and not enrolled, median earnings four years after finishing are $77,429. That median sits at the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $68,250, and the university's median is $9,179 above that. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Colby College #147 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. The largest fields are Social Sciences and Biological Sciences, with smaller clusters in areas such as Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $48,903 on the downside to $103,081 on the upside. An estimated 40.9% continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a wide spread: from $48,903 on the downside to $103,081 on the upside, with the typical scenario at $77,429. At the top of the range, Economics graduates earn $103,491 four years after completion, from 89 degrees awarded a year. Political Science follows at $96,621, with 76 degrees awarded. The lower end includes Natural Resources Conservation and Research, where graduates earn $55,719. Graduates of Colby College earn a median of $77,429 four years after completion, $9,179 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who finish carry a median of $19,157 in federal student loans, which is $5,042 below the peer median—that is, the median among comparable institutions—of $24,199. That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $218 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $59,570 in Parent PLUS loans. The published cost of attendance is $85,420 (an average across living arrangements), but aid covers about 80% of that for the average aid recipient. The average net price—what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships—is $17,180, which is $10,191 below the peer median. Median earnings four years after completion are $77,429, and median federal student debt at completion is $19,157, which is $5,042 below the peer median. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/colby-college/outcomes/) 03 / Colby College briefing ## [Colby College acceptance rate & admissions](/school/colby-college/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Colby College admits 7.1% of applicants, a rate far below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Admission rate** 7.1% **Approximate lower endpoint** 1460 **Reported average** 1501 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1550 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/colby-college/admissions/) 04 / Colby College briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Colby College?](/school/colby-college/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The strongest return at Colby College comes from programs that are also among its largest. Economics awards 89 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $103,491 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the program #44 nationally in its field. Political Science is close behind, with 76 degrees awarded and median earnings of $96,621. Its national rank of #5 is the highest of any program at the college. Further down the earnings scale, Natural Resources Conservation and Research awards 52 degrees and posts a median of $55,719. Azimuth ranks it #35 nationally. The spread between this program and the top earners illustrates the variation by field. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 3 of the college's programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The strongest of these is Political Science, which holds a national rank of #5 and is the top program in Maine. The largest program is Economics, with 89 degrees awarded. Its graduates earn a median of $103,491 four years after completion, placing it #44 nationally. Political Science is close behind in size at 76 degrees awarded, and its completers earn $96,621. The highest-earning program is also Economics, at $103,491. Area Studies and Natural Resources Conservation and Research round out the programs with earnings data, with medians of $64,207 and $55,719 respectively. Social Sciences accounts for 26.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded at Colby College, with Biological Sciences next at 10.9% and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 8.1%. The college has 3 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 4 with published four-year earnings data. The largest programs by degrees awarded are Economics at 89 degrees awarded, Political Science at 76, and Natural Resources Conservation and Research at 52. Economics is both the largest and the highest-earning program. Graduates earn a median of $103,491 four years after completion, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the program #44 nationally within its field and #2 in Maine. Political Science is the highest-ranked program, and Azimuth ranks it #1 in Maine within its field. Its median earnings of $96,621 represent a benchmark ratio of 1.53x against the national median for its field. Natural Resources Conservation and Research is another strong performer, ranking #35 nationally within its field and #1 in Maine. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in a few social science and science programs. The largest programs include several with benchmark ratios above their national medians, and the earnings figures for those fields sit well above the national medians for their disciplines. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Economics 89 degrees awarded** $103,491 **Political Science and Government 76 degrees awarded** $96,621 **Natural Resources Conservation and Research 52 degrees awarded** $55,719 **Computer Science 45 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **International/Globalization Studies 42 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Psychology, General 41 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/colby-college/majors/) 05 / Colby College briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Colby College?](/school/colby-college/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/colby-college/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Colby College. Admissions peerBowdoin College7.1% admitted+ Comparison with Colby College | Measure | Colby College | Bowdoin College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $77,429 | $79,722+$2,293 vs Colby College | | Average annual net price | $17,180 | $14,398\-$2,782 vs Colby College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 7.1% | 7.1% | [Explore Bowdoin College →](/school/bowdoin-college/) Higher-admission alternativeSaint Joseph's College of Maine83.5% admitted+ Comparison with Colby College | Measure | Colby College | Saint Joseph's College of Maine | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $77,429 | $73,164\-$4,265 vs Colby College | | Average annual net price | $17,180 | $27,555+$10,375 vs Colby College · higher cost | | Admission rate | 7.1% | 83.5% | Nearby alternativeBowdoin CollegeNearby option · ME+ Comparison with Colby College | Measure | Colby College | Bowdoin College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $77,429 | $79,722+$2,293 vs Colby College | | Average annual net price | $17,180 | $14,398\-$2,782 vs Colby College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 7.1% | 7.1% | [Explore Bowdoin College →](/school/bowdoin-college/) Higher-earnings alternativeHarvard University$134,794 earnings+ Comparison with Colby College | Measure | Colby College | Harvard University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $77,429 | $134,794+$57,365 vs Colby College | | Average annual net price | $17,180 | $19,066+$1,886 vs Colby College · higher cost | | Admission rate | 7.1% | 3.7% | [Explore Harvard University →](/school/harvard-university/) Lower-cost alternativeBowdoin College$14,398 average net price+ Comparison with Colby College | Measure | Colby College | Bowdoin College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $77,429 | $79,722+$2,293 vs Colby College | | Average annual net price | $17,180 | $14,398\-$2,782 vs Colby College · lower cost | | Admission rate | 7.1% | 7.1% | [Explore Bowdoin College →](/school/bowdoin-college/) Similar profileUtica UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Colby College | Measure | Colby College | Utica University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $77,429 | $77,491+$62 vs Colby College | | Average annual net price | $17,180 | $19,108+$1,928 vs Colby College · higher cost | | Admission rate | 7.1% | 92.0% | Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/colby-college/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)