College Profiles/ Colby College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Colby College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Waterville, ME · 2,407 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Colby College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Colby College admitted 8.0% of 21,065 first-year applicants.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for students (as published) is 1430 to 1520.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,270.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Early Decision II Jan 4, Regular Decision Jan 4.[3]
8.0%
Overall admit rate[1]
1430 to 1520
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$98,270
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
88.8%
Six-year graduation rate[4]
Colby College at a Glance
- Location
- Waterville, ME
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 10:1[5]
- Endowment
- $1.2 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition, QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 93.7%[4]
The ConnectPrep Take on Colby College
The ConnectPrep take
Colby looks for intellectually adventurous students who have shown consistent achievement in a challenging course of study and who will add to a collaborative community. Consistency is the key word: a steady, demanding transcript reads better than a late surge. Colby admitted 8.0% of 21,065 applicants. Binding ED I closes Nov 15 and ED II on Jan 4, the same day as Regular Decision, and there is no application fee. Testing is optional; with a middle 50% SAT of 1430 to 1520, we advise submitting at 1475 or above and aiming for 1520. Aid is strong: Colby meets 100% of need without loans, and federal data shows an average net price of $17,180. The mistake we see is a late aid file, since RD aid is due Jan 15, after the application.
What to do this fall
- Use ED I on Nov 15 if Colby is first; ED II on Jan 4 keeps a binding option open after an early result elsewhere.
- Submit an SAT of 1475 or above, and keep testing toward 1520 if the first score falls short.
- Arts applicants upload supplements through the status portal by Nov 22 for ED I, a week after applying.
- Since Colby offers no interviews, consider an optional video interview from Duolingo, Vericant or InitialView.
Applying to Colby College? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Colby College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
21,065 |
|
8.0% |
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of students (as published) |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT composite[1] |
1430 to 1520 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 34 |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1520 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 34 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1480, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Colby College looks for
In its own words: Colby looks for intellectually adventurous students who have shown consistent achievement in a challenging course of study and who are likely to contribute to its diverse and collaborative community.[7]
Colby College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
by Dec 15 (ED I); by Feb 15 (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 4 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 4 |
by Apr 1 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Colby College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| CSS Profile, FAFSA, tax documents |
Nov 15 (ED I); Jan 4 (ED II); Jan 15 (RD) |
Applies to the CSS Profile, FAFSA (US citizens and permanent residents only) and 2025 federal tax returns and W-2s. RD aid is due Jan 15, after the Jan 4 application.[3] |
| Arts supplement |
Nov 22 (ED I); Jan 15 (ED II, RD) |
Upload through the applicant status portal after applying. ED I supplements are due Nov 22, a week after the application.[8] |
| No interviews |
See note |
Colby does not offer interviews but accepts optional video interviews from Duolingo, Vericant or InitialView.[9] |
See how Colby College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Colby College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$98,270 |
| Tuition[2] |
$75,790 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$78,568 |
| Average share of need met[10] |
100.0% |
Tuition and fees 75,790, food and housing 19,480, personal and books 1,700, travel 50 to 1,300 depending on home address; the estimated cost of attendance ranges from $97,020 to $98,270. Incoming first-years also pay a $500 orientation trip fee.[2]
- Colby College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[10]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[10]
- Through the Colby Commitment, families earning $75,000 or less with typical assets have a $0 parent contribution, and families earning up to $200,000 contribute no more than $20,000 per year.[10]
- International students: Full need met for admitted international students. Colby states it meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for all admitted students, including international students.[11]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[4]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$4,049 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$1,251 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$3,666 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$12,106 |
| Over $110,000 |
$46,511 |
| All aided students |
$17,180 |
Academics and Majors at Colby College
Signature programs
Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence
Colby calls it the first cross-disciplinary institute for artificial intelligence at a liberal arts college.[5]
Lunder Institute for American Art
Creates opportunities for research and collaboration with leading artists, scholars, and curators.[5]
Faculty-mentored research and independent study
Opportunities range from research assistantships and independent study projects to summer experiences.[5]
The Colby Commitment
A no-loan aid program that caps parent contributions by income, with a $0 parent contribution for families earning $75,000 or less with typical assets.[10]
Choosing a major and getting in
Colby offers 48 majors and 38 minors.[6]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (binding, deadline November 15).[7]
- Early Decision II (binding, deadline January 4).[7]
- QuestBridge Application accepted.[7]
Colby College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[4] |
93.7% |
| Graduated within six years[4] |
88.8% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$80,490 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$19,157 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
14% |
Make Colby College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Colby College FAQs
What is the Colby College acceptance rate?
Colby College admitted 8.0% of first-year applicants.
When are the Colby College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Early Decision II Jan 4; Regular Decision Jan 4.
How much does Colby College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,270. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Colby College?
The middle 50% of students (as published) scored 1430 to 1520 on the SAT and 33 to 34 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1520, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional.
What does Colby cost for a family earning under $75,000?
Through the Colby Commitment, families earning $75,000 or less with typical assets have a $0 parent contribution, and aid is loan free. Federal data shows an average net price of $3,666 for families earning $48,001 to $75,000. Families earning up to $200,000 contribute no more than $20,000 per year.
Is Colby test optional?
Yes. Students choose whether to send the SAT or ACT, and admitted students who submitted scores must send official reports before enrolling. The middle 50% SAT is 1430 to 1520 and the ACT is 33 to 34, so we suggest submitting at 1475 or above and treating 1520 as the target.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Colby College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
