Thomas College vs. Colby-Sawyer

Comparable Facts

Compare Thomas College in Waterville, ME with Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Thomas College is larger than Colby-Sawyer based on total student enrollment (1,635 students vs. 972 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Thomas College is located in Waterville, ME (Rural Fringe setting); Colby Sawyer College is in New London, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• Thomas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Colby Sawyer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Thomas College 20:1; Colby Sawyer College 10:1.

Thomas College vs. Colby-Sawyer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Thomas College or Colby-Sawyer? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas College than Colby-Sawyer ($19,126 vs. $27,496).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas College are 18.9% lower than at Colby Sawyer College ($14,090 vs. $17,364).
• Thomas College is 66.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colby-Sawyer (about $12,699 more per year; $31,824.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 66.4% higher at Thomas College than at Colby Sawyer College (about $12,699 more per year; $31,824.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Colby Sawyer College than at Thomas College (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas College students is 154.2% larger than aid received by Colby Sawyer College students ($28,212 vs. $11,098).

Thomas College vs. Colby-Sawyer Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Thomas College or Colby-Sawyer? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Colby-Sawyer and Thomas College.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Thomas College - Test-free; Colby-Sawyer - Test-free.
• Thomas College has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than Colby-Sawyer (80.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.1% at Thomas College vs. 13% at Colby-Sawyer.

Thomas College vs. Colby-Sawyer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Thomas College and Colby-Sawyer? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Colby Sawyer College's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than Thomas College's (45%).
• Graduates from Colby Sawyer College earn a median of about $3,900 more per year than Thomas College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,900 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Colby Sawyer College and Thomas College graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Colby Sawyer College and Thomas College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Colby-Sawyer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Thomas College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 67%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.