Colby College vs Muhlenberg College

Colby College and Muhlenberg College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Colby, nestled in the picturesque town of Waterville, Maine, boasts a lower acceptance rate (14.5%) compared to Muhlenberg's (49.5%) in Allentown, Pennsylvania. While Colby's student body is slightly larger, both colleges share a commitment to small class sizes, fostering close interactions between students and professors. Explore the comparison table to delve into further details, including popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which college best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Colby College logo

Colby College

Muhlenberg College logo

Muhlenberg College

Overview

Location Waterville, Maine Allentown, Pennsylvania
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 95.0% 92.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Evangelical

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.9% 67.8%
Application fees $50
SAT range 1400 - 1530 1200 - 1370
ACT range 32 - 34 27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 40.0% 34.0%
Students submitting ACT score 28.0% 12.0%
Total number of applicants 15,857 4,118
Total number of admissions given out 1,407 2,790
Admitted students who chose to enroll 667 450
Yield rate 47.4% 16.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $68,825 $71,880
Average net price $17,912 $30,920
Tuition $58,640 $55,095
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,150

Meal plan: $7,595
Room/dormitory: $7,035

Meal plan: $5,765
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

39.0%
Average amount $58,513
97.0%
Average amount $37,483
Students receiving federal student loan 8.0%
Average amount $5,140
62.0%
Average amount $5,381
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $18,242
7.0%
Average amount $24,182

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,262
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
2,074
Men 40.5% Women 59.5%
Graduate students N/A 21
Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 9.5% 1.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 2,242 1,922
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.6% 82.0%
Dropout rate 5.7% 17.9%
Transferred out 7.5% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,540
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $83,980
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,972
  • Year 2: $47,118
  • Year 3: $55,529
International/Global Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,350
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $53,638
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $42,883
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,156
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $40,423
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,612
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $44,971
  • Year 3: N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,892
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $76,365
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,174
  • Year 2: $63,430
  • Year 3: $70,575
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,828
  • Year 2: $50,105
  • Year 3: $56,960
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,684
  • Year 2: $54,644
  • Year 3: $56,688
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,496
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $52,763
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,541
  • Year 2: $35,420
  • Year 3: $47,919
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,225
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $44,789
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,411
  • Year 2: $31,133
  • Year 3: $44,431
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,407
  • Year 2: $34,298
  • Year 3: $39,267
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,426
  • Year 2: $19,749
  • Year 3: $24,340

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