Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #1157 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $16,173 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 9.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #685 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #1157 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Geneva, New York, Hobart William Smith Colleges enrolls roughly 1,786 undergraduates. Retention is 86.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 77.2%, reflecting solid completion rates for a residential liberal arts institution. Where Hobart William Smith Colleges performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #685 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,017, and Hobart William Smith Colleges sits in the 9.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's program portfolio centers on Social Sciences, a field that anchors both enrollment and career outcomes across the college. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Hobart William Smith Colleges sits in the 27.0 percentile for access and the 7.0 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. With 25.1% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 12.5% first-generation college students, the college enrolls a moderately mixed enrollment relative to peer private institutions. Mobility outcomes sit in the 55.7 percentile, reflecting how well low-income and first-generation graduates convert their education into durable career progress.
Hobart William Smith Colleges' published cost of attendance is $82,602. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the income spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $14,650, low-middle-income families pay around $12,639, middle-income families pay about $22,108, middle-high-income families pay approximately $23,149, and higher-income families pay roughly $39,740. Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #1326 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Hobart William Smith structures financial aid through need-based grants and federal loan programs. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to help bridge the gap between published cost and what families actually pay. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the college works to meet demonstrated financial need within its aid budget constraints. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $61,178; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $70,017, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Hobart William Smith Colleges is a strong fit for students drawn to the social sciences and humanities who want a private liberal arts college experience in NY. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $70,017, placing Hobart William Smith Colleges in the 72.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $16,173 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 9.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 25.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 12.5% are first-generation — and delivers mobility outcomes that place Hobart William Smith Colleges in the 71.7 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 64.0% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors liberal arts fields over applied-professional ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find a strong earnings trajectory and aid package.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Hobart William Smith Colleges hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Hobart William Smith Colleges' published cost of attendance is $82,602. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the income spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $14,650, low-middle-income families pay around $12,639, middle-income families pay about $22,108, middle-high-income families pay approximately $23,149, and higher-income families pay roughly $39,740.
Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #1326 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Hobart William Smith structures financial aid through need-based grants and federal loan programs. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to help bridge the gap between published cost and what families actually pay.
Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the college works to meet demonstrated financial need within its aid budget constraints. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $61,178; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $70,017, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Hobart William Smith Colleges earn median 4-year earnings of $70,017, placing Hobart William Smith Colleges in the 72.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $16,173 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Hobart William Smith Colleges in the 9.3 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Hobart William Smith Colleges #685 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Hobart William Smith Colleges's strength in social sciences and liberal arts fields.
Economics is the largest program with 70 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $111,833, performing at 1.4x the national benchmark for the field. The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 63 students earning $73,650, while Natural Resources Conservation and Research with 54 graduates reaches $61,905.
Psychology, General and Biology, General round out the institution's core academic portfolio, each contributing to a diversified earnings profile anchored in the humanities and social sciences.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
D'youville University Higher acceptance rate (25.1 percentage points higher) and located 97 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 82% | $66,942 | Compare |
St. John Fisher University Higher acceptance rate (10.5 percentage points higher) and located 32 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 68% | $66,944 | Compare |
University At Buffalo Higher acceptance rate (12 percentage points higher) and located 92 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 69% | $70,814 | Compare |
University At Albany Higher acceptance rate (12.6 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | NY | 70% | $67,979 | Compare |
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Higher acceptance rate (14.1 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | MA | 71% | $67,725 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whittier College Similar quality tier (#30583 ranked) | CA | 81% | $59,492 | #30583 | Compare |
Elizabethtown College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#30585 ranked) | PA | 78% | $62,399 | #30585 | Compare |
Millikin University Similar quality tier (#30580 ranked) | IL | 67% | $51,262 | #30580 | Compare |
Westminster College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#30588 ranked) | PA | 93% | $53,861 | #30588 | Compare |
University Of Jamestown Similar quality tier (#30590 ranked) | ND | 88% | $56,621 | #30590 | Compare |
Economics
70 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
12 graduates
Political Science and Government
31 graduates
International Relations and National Security Studies
16 graduates
Communication and Media Studies
63 graduates
Hobart William Smith Colleges's program mix centers on Social Sciences, reflecting the institution's liberal arts identity and emphasis on analytical and humanistic inquiry. Economics is the largest program with 70 graduates, followed by Communication and Media Studies, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Psychology, General, and Biology, General.
Across 27 programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering strong four-year earnings outcomes that align with the institution's strengths in policy-oriented and analytical fields. The earnings pattern reflects a liberal arts institution where program outcomes vary by field.
Economics graduates earn median earnings of $111,833 four years after enrollment, while Political Science graduates earn $79,778 and Communication and Media Studies graduates earn $73,650. Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies and Architecture and Related Services, Other round out the highest-earning programs with median earnings of $68,522 and $68,341, respectively.
These outcomes span both direct-to-workforce and graduate-school-dependent pathways, with social sciences and humanities fields supporting both immediate career entry and advanced study. Several of these programs represent grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because graduates often continue to graduate or professional school.
Others are high-mobility direct-to-workforce programs where earnings reflect national labor-market outcomes and early-career positioning. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Hobart William Smith Colleges's dominant program families align with labor-market demand and wage trends across sectors.
