Colby College
Waterville, ME
7.1%
Acceptance Rate
$69,600
Avg Cost (In-State)
$69,600
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
89.5%
Graduation Rate
2,407
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to biology collegesPopular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 15 (Early Decision I) and January 1 (Early Decision II)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
2
Interview
Available
Essays: Common App personal essay required; supplemental essay optional
Note: Interview strongly recommended but not required
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$37,935
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$46,474
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
60%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $78,856 | $82,803 | 59 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | $28,216 | $55,719 | 38 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $30,804 | $55,024 | 36 |
| Economics. | $76,401 | $103,491 | 34 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $54,304 | $68,502 | 31 |
| Political Science and Government. | $54,353 | $96,621 | 30 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | $42,756 | — | 23 |
| Psychology, General. | $40,842 | — | 22 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of Colby College yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Colby College
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Colby College
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Doctors for Maine's Future Scholarship
Up to $25,000/year (med school)
stateME residents accepted to participating medical schools (UNE, Tufts, Dartmouth) with intent to practice primary care in ME.
Deadline: Through partner med school
Learn more ↗Maine Joan F. Vassar Scholarship
$2,500
stateME HS seniors pursuing higher education.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Maine State Grant Program
Up to $2,500/year
stateME residents with financial need attending ME colleges or eligible OOS institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA by May 1
Learn more ↗U Maine Black Bear Scholarship
$2,000-$10,000/year
universityUMaine OOS freshmen via tiered automatic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Bates Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans capped
universityAdmitted Bates students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗U Maine Pine Tree State Pledge Scholarship
Up to in-state tuition for NE students
universityStudents from NE states (excl. ME) attending UMaine pay in-state tuition rate.
Deadline: Apply with admission
Learn more ↗Bowdoin College Need-Met No-Loan Aid
100% need met; loans replaced with grants
universityAll admitted Bowdoin students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Maine Education Loan Marketing Scholarship
$500-$3,000
stateME students with academic merit pursuing higher education.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗University of Maine Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition + fees
universityTop UMaine incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $4,200 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $5,400 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $11,100 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $25,600 |
| $110,001+ | $66,700 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Colby College →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 7.1% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
32%
acceptance
ED edgeEarly Decision II
22%
acceptance
ED edgeRegular Decision
6%
acceptance
Overall ~7.5%.
Source ↗Regular Decision
7.09%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
12.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
12.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
9.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
14.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
35.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
94.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
91.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for Colby College — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.