College of the Atlantic vs Hampshire College

College of the Atlantic and Hampshire College, both renowned for their innovative approaches to higher education, offer unique experiences for students seeking transformative learning environments. While they share a commitment to experiential learning and interdisciplinary studies, they differ in several key aspects. College of the Atlantic, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, boasts a stunning coastal setting and a focus on environmental studies, with nearly half of its graduates pursuing careers in environmental fields. Hampshire College, situated in Amherst, Massachusetts, emphasizes social justice and the arts, with popular majors including media studies, social sciences, and creative writing. With acceptance rates of 65% and 48%, respectively, and graduation rates of 75% and 78%, these institutions attract students from diverse backgrounds, fostering vibrant and engaged communities. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more distinctions between these two exceptional colleges and determine which aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal goals.

	College of the Atlantic	Hampshire College
Overview
Location	Bar Harbor, Maine	Amherst, Massachusetts
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Trimester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	81.0%	72.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	61.1%	75.1%
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants	525	1,340
Total number of admissions given out	321	1,007
Admitted students who chose to enroll	93	133
Yield rate	29.0%	13.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$50,442	$66,658
Average net price	$19,142	$30,168
Tuition	$42,993	$51,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,210 Meal plan: $3,537	Room/dormitory: $8,520 Meal plan: $5,912
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $34,744	100.0% Average amount $36,653
Students receiving federal student loan	64.0% Average amount $4,759	64.0% Average amount $4,793
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $16,806	1.0% Average amount $8,793

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	374 Men 29.7% Women 70.3%	472 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
Graduate students	2 Men 50.0% Women 50.0%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	23.1%	6.4%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	235	1,180
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	Multidisciplinary Studies	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Ethnic Studies
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	66.7%	62.4%
Dropout rate	32.1%	37.3%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,916 Year 2: $16,920 Year 3: $24,486	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,720 Year 2: $19,829 Year 3: $23,704

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