Colgate University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Colgate University is a private institution located in Hamilton, New York and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Colgate University admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 18%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1480 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,786 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Colgate University?

69% of enrolled students at Colgate University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.85, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What does Colgate University weight in admissions?

Colgate University reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

How Colgate University reads an application: what each weighting means for your child, plus waitlist, transfer and early-round odds

SAT and ACT scores Colgate University typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 720–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 705. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–34. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Colgate University actually cost?

Published tuition is $70,306 for in-state students and $70,306 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,610 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $28,786 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 13% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Colgate University

Will my child graduate from Colgate University?

These predict outcomes at Colgate University better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Colgate University

The most popular undergraduate programs at Colgate University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Political Science and Government and Research and Experimental Psychology. Across all programs, Colgate University confers roughly 511 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $130,139 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Colgate University safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Colgate University disclosed 6 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Colgate University?

About 91% of undergraduates at Colgate University live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in New York parents ask about

• Hamilton College
  14% acceptance
• Barnard College
  9% acceptance
• Marist College
  57% acceptance
• Fashion Institute of Technology
  60% acceptance
• Pratt Institute-Main
  73% acceptance
• Parsons School of Design at The New School
  63% acceptance
• The Juilliard School
  9% acceptance
• Skidmore College
  21% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Colgate University