Acceptance Rate
14%
Avg. SAT
1540
75th percentile
“Colgate molds ambitious, outdoorsy overachievers into finance titans and policymakers amid upstate New York's endless trails and blizzards.”
Hamilton, NY
Location
Rural
Campus Setting
You arrive at Colgate in 1819-founded Hamilton, New York, a speck of a town dwarfed by the Adirondacks, where Baptist ministers once trained before soap magnate William Colgate's 1846 donation cemented the name and secular shift. This private liberal arts enclave draws students who crave intimacy over anonymity—think collaborative jocks and club leaders who thrive on knowing everyone by name amid 3,200 undergrads. The personality skews preppy-athletic, with a relentless drive that fuels Patriot League dominance, but tradeoffs sting: profound isolation (nearest city, Syracuse, demands a 45-minute drive) fosters unbreakable bonds yet amplifies boredom for urbanites or introverts seeking diversity in a mostly white, East Coast crowd.
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Colgate's classrooms, you'll dive into seminars capped at 20 where professors grill your ideas over coffee, backed by a 9:1 ratio that dwarfs even many Ivies—pure undergrad focus since grad enrollment hovers at a dozen. Economics reigns, funneling grads to Goldman Sachs bulge brackets, while political science and environmental studies shine through hands-on research at the Upstate Institute, where you'll map local watersheds or intern in D.C. The open curriculum hands you total freedom, no gen-ed shackles, sparking interdisciplinary romps from peace studies to neuroscience, but expect tradeoffs like fewer star researchers than at big universities.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
3,193 undergrad • 18 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
65%
Black / African American
4%
Hispanic / Latino
9%
Asian
6%
Other / Multi-racial
16%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Hamilton, NY
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week pulses with dawn hikes via the massive Outing Club, afternoon pickup Ultimate, evening commons feasts, and Friday bonfires if football triumphs—Patriot League games pack 8,000 into Andy Kerr Stadium. Traditions like stealing rival Lafayette's goalposts in the storied Raid or midnight Jug Night revelries bind you, now housed in 13 residential commons after ditching Greek life for inclusive living. The vibe hums friendly-competitive, laced with East Coast privilege, but winters bury you under 100 inches of snow, testing resolve while forging resilience; social scenes skew party-heavy for extroverts, leaving quieter types hunting niches amid limited urban escapes.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Patriot League
ROTC & Veteran Support
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$10,923
$30K – $48K
$14,024
$48K – $75K
$15,344
$75K – $110K
$20,853
$110K+
$45,405
Apply for Financial Aid
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
93%
4 Years Graduation Rate
88%
6 Years Graduation Rate
91%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$85,139
93% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Colgate University and return in the fall. 88% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 91% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
88%
4-6 years
3%
Non-grad
9%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$63,904
Acceptance
14%
Undergrads
3,193
4-Year Grad Rate
88%
Endowment
$1.1B
Hamilton, NY 13346-1398
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