Colgate vs. Hamilton College vs. Vassar vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Colgate University or Hamilton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colgate or Hamilton College 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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Colgate University vs. Hamilton College vs. Vassar College vs. Swarthmore College comparison
Colgate University Hamilton College Vassar College Swarthmore College
Colgate University Hamilton College Vassar College Swarthmore College
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Overview

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
Location Hamilton, NY Clinton, NY Poughkeepsie, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,146 2,048 2,456 1,644
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #27 #25 #46 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website colgate.edu hamilton.edu vassar.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $66,622 $65,090 $66,870 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $66,622 $65,090 $66,870 $61,992
Room & Board $16,790 $16,690 $17,415 $18,964
Avg Net Price $26,954 $26,021 $29,733 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $56,696 $54,359 $53,840 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 51% 58% 53%

Admission

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
Applied 21,130 9,643 12,145 14,287
Admitted 2,526 1,135 2,153 992
Acceptance Rate 12% 11.8% 17.7% 8.2%
Enrolled % 31.9% 40.7% 32% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.87 3.86 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/34 32/35 33/35 33/34
SAT Range 1430/1530 1410/1550 1435/1550 1460/1560
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 5, 2026 Jan 1, 2026 Jan 4, 2026

Academics

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (4%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • English and Literature (4%)

Outcomes

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 92% 89% 91% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,300 $79,000 $58,400 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 90% 92% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,125 $15,760 $15,780 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $166 $162 $163 $201

Diversity

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
% Men 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Women 0% 0% 1% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium High Very High
HBCU No No No No
% White 67% 63% 59% 42%
% Black 4% 5% 5% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 7% 11% 13%
% Native American 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3% 6% 8%
% International 9% 6% 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 8% 0% 3%

Students

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
% In-State 22% 27% 28% 10%
% Out-of-State 69% 63% 64% 75%

Campus

 Colgate Hamilton College Vassar Swarthmore
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No No
Daycare Facility No Yes Yes No
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colgate University is larger than than Hamilton College based on total student enrollment (3,146 students vs. 2,048 students)

Colgate vs. Hamilton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colgate or Hamilton College?

  • Colgate University is 2.4% more expensive to attend than Hamilton College for in-state tuition ($66,622.00 vs. $65,090.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at Colgate than Hamilton College ($66,622.00 vs. $65,090.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hamilton College than Colgate ($26,021 vs. $26,954)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hamilton College are 0.6% lower than costs at Colgate University ($16,690 vs. $16,790)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hamilton College than Colgate University (51% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colgate University students is 4.3% larger than aid received Hamilton College ($56,696 vs. $54,359)

Colgate vs. Hamilton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Hamilton College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Colgate (3.77)
  • Colgate has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Hamilton College (11.8%)

Colgate vs. Hamilton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colgate or Hamilton College? 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 Hamilton College and Colgate.

  • The graduation rate at Colgate is higher than Hamilton College (92% vs. 89%)
  • Graduates from Hamilton College earn on average $3,700 more per year than Colgate graduates after ten years. ($79,000 vs. $75,300)
  • Hamilton College students graduate with a $365 lower median federal student loan debt than Colgate graduates. ($15,760 vs. $16,125)
  • Hamilton College graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Colgate graduates. ($162 vs. $166)
  • More Hamilton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colgate students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 86%)

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