Colby College vs. Tufts

Should I go to Colby College or Tufts University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colby College or Tufts is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Colby College vs. Tufts University comparison
Colby College Tufts University College 3 College 4
Colby College Tufts University
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Overview

Colby College Tufts
Location Waterville, ME Medford, MA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,299 13,431
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #32
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu tufts.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College Tufts
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $63,804
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $63,804
Room & Board $16,330 $16,778
Avg Net Price $16,951 $30,479
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $51,613
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 39%

Admission

Colby College Tufts
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 34,882
Admitted 1,286 3,381
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 9.7%
Enrolled % 52.3% 50.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/34 33/35
SAT Range 1430/1540 1450/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Colby College Tufts
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Colby College Tufts
Graduation Rate 91% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $18,000
Median Loan Payment $200 $186

Diversity

Colby College Tufts
% Men 48% 41%
% Women 52% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 58%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 11% 9%
% Unknown Race 7% 7%

Students

Colby College Tufts
% In-State 7% 21%
% Out-of-State 79% 65%

Campus

Colby College Tufts
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Tufts University is larger than than Colby College based on total student enrollment (13,431 students vs. 2,299 students)

Colby College vs. Tufts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Tufts?

  • Tufts University is 4.9% more expensive to attend than Colby College for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $60,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at Tufts than Colby College ($63,804.00 vs. $60,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Tufts ($16,951 vs. $30,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 2.7% lower than costs at Tufts University ($16,330 vs. $16,778)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colby College than Tufts University (41% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 19.6% larger than aid received Tufts University ($61,714 vs. $51,613)

Colby College vs. Tufts Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colby College or Tufts? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Tufts or Colby College .

  • The average SAT score at Tufts University (1424) is 61 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
  • Incoming Tufts students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Colby College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Tufts students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Colby College (3.86)
  • Tufts has a higher acceptance rate (9.7%) than Colby College (7.6%)

Colby College vs. Tufts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colby College or Tufts? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Tufts and Colby College.

  • The graduation rate at Colby College is higher than Tufts University (91% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Tufts University earn on average $9,700 more per year than Colby College graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $73,400)
  • Tufts University students graduate with a $1,345 lower median federal student loan debt than Colby College graduates. ($18,000 vs. $19,345)
  • Tufts graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Colby College graduates. ($186 vs. $200)
  • More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colby College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 88%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/