Colby-Sawyer College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in New London, New Hampshire. It enrolls 771 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
53/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes55
Value10
Affordability23
Selectivity42
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 80.1%, Colby-Sawyer College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
80.1%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Colby-Sawyer College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
0.4 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Colby-Sawyer College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $27,431 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$27,431
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
23%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
66%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$19,125
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,364
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,840
Books & Supplies
$2,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,450
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$38,527
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$22,456
$30,001 – $48,000
$19,687
$48,001 – $75,000
$24,437
$75,001 – $110,000
$27,412
Over $110,000
$29,679
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$12,00025%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$31,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,500
↓ $7,500
No Pell $18,825
↓ $8,175
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $7,500
Independent students $12,500
↓ $14,500
Female students $15,750
↓ $11,250
Male students $23,750
↓ $3,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
59% of full-time students who enrolled at Colby-Sawyer College graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
59%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
79%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Colby-Sawyer College earn a median of $46,474 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,474
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$45,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$47,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,100
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,500, about 12% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 95% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Colby-Sawyer College is home to 771 students, a small, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
771
Part-Time
7%
First-Generation
24%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 77.8%600
Black 3.8%29
Hispanic 2.7%21
International 1.8%14
Asian 1.2%9
Other 0.8%6
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Colby-Sawyer College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: RemoteNew London, New Hampshire
Housing
Strongly residential884 beds for 771 students
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Colby-Sawyer College offers
a varied set of programs:
24 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Colby-Sawyer College is 10:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$104M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$69,482
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
54 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
15
28%
$86,001
Associate Professors
6
11%
$69,753
Assistant Professors
33
61%
$61,924
Pros & Cons of Colby-Sawyer College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Colby-Sawyer College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Colby-Sawyer College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Colby-Sawyer College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Colby-Sawyer College.
Is Colby-Sawyer College hard to get into?
Colby-Sawyer College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 80.1%.
What is the acceptance rate at Colby-Sawyer College?
Colby-Sawyer College has an acceptance rate of 80.1%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Colby-Sawyer College cost?
The average net price after aid at Colby-Sawyer College is $27,431 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Colby-Sawyer College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,474 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $27,431 per year. That's roughly 1.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Colby-Sawyer College known for?
Colby-Sawyer College is best known for its programs in Nursing, Kinesiology, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Colby-Sawyer College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Colby-Sawyer College are $46,474, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Colby-Sawyer College accredited?
Yes. Colby-Sawyer College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Colby-Sawyer College?
Colby-Sawyer College enrolls 771 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Colby-Sawyer College?
Colby-Sawyer College graduates 59% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Colby-Sawyer College a public or private college?
Colby-Sawyer College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Colby-Sawyer College located?
Colby-Sawyer College is located in New London, New Hampshire.
What programs does Colby-Sawyer College offer?
Colby-Sawyer College offers 24 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Kinesiology, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Colby-Sawyer College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Colby-Sawyer College is 10:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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