Colby College acceptance rate & admissions

Colby College admits 7% of applicants, about 1 in 14. For Fall 2023, 1,215 of 17,786 applicants were admitted and 605 enrolled. The school considers SAT or ACT scores but does not require them (test-optional). The middle half of Fall 2024 enrolled first-year students scored 1460–1550 on the SAT or 32–34 on the ACT.

Check your chances at Colby College → Compare your GPA and scores with these ranges, and with other colleges.

Acceptance rate
7%

More selective than 100% of Maine colleges we cover. U.S. median 77%.

College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class

Test scores
Considered, not required

36% of enrolled first-years sent SAT scores, 18% sent ACT scores.

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class

Admitted students who enroll
50%

Called “yield.” A high yield means many admitted students choose Colby College over other offers.

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class

Applicants, admits and enrollment

Applied17,786
Admitted1,215
Enrolled605

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class (first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates). Newer counts arrive with the next IPEDS release.

We don't have Colby College's Common Data Set yet, the college's own report of what it weighs in admissions, early decision and waitlist numbers. Work at Colby College or have its file? Send it to us.

Colby College SAT and ACT scores

Scores of enrolled first-year students who submitted them, Fall 2024. A quarter scored below the 25th percentile and a quarter above the 75th. If your score is above the 75th, Colby College is likely within reach on scores alone; below the 25th, it is a reach.

Test25th percentile75th percentile
SAT reading & writing720760
SAT math740790
ACT composite3234
SAT total (approx.)14601550

College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class (reported to IPEDS). SAT total adds the two section scores, an approximation.

Colby College admissions year over year

Entering classAcceptanceSAT readingSAT mathACTSource
Fall 20247%720–760740–79032–34College Scorecard
Fall 20237%710–760730–79032–34IPEDS

Score ranges are the 25th–75th percentiles. Each year is kept as published; we add a year with every federal release.

How selective is Colby College compared with other Maine colleges?

Colby College has the lowest acceptance rate of 16 Maine colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAcceptanceGraduationAvg. net price
1Colby College7%89%$17,180
2Bowdoin College7%95%$14,398
3Bates College13%90%$29,351
4Maine Maritime Academy54%58%$23,414
5College of the Atlantic70%68%$25,184
6Maine College of Health Professions71%67%$26,312
7Maine College of Art & Design76%52%$38,338
8University of Southern Maine79%40%$13,596
9Husson University81%59%$21,005

College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class. All Maine colleges →

Who enrolls at Colby College

First-year students who return for year two94%
First-year students from Maine7%
Pell Grant recipients14%
First-generation students11%
Women / men51% / 49%
International students11%

College Scorecard; IPEDS

Colby College admissions questions

What is the Colby College acceptance rate?

Colby College accepts 7% of applicants, about 1 in 14. For the Fall 2023 entering class, 1,215 of 17,786 applicants were admitted.

Does Colby College require the SAT or ACT?

Colby College considers SAT or ACT scores but does not require them (test-optional), according to its federal admissions report for Fall 2023. 36% of enrolled first-year students submitted SAT scores and 18% submitted ACT scores.

What SAT score do you need for Colby College?

The middle 50% of Colby College enrolled first-year students scored 1460–1550 on the SAT and 32–34 on the ACT. A score above the upper number puts you in the top quarter of enrolled students; below the lower number puts you in the bottom quarter.

How many admitted students enroll at Colby College?

50% of admitted students enrolled in Fall 2023 (605 of 1,215).

Is Colby College getting harder to get into?

Colby College accepted 7% of applicants for Fall 2024, compared with 7% for Fall 2023.

Is Colby College the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS Admissions; years shown with each figure. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Back to Colby College overview