Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in the village of Hamilton, in rural central New York, known for its picturesque hilltop campus above Taylor Lake and a strong residential, undergraduate-focused culture. With about 3,100 students and an 8-to-1 student-faculty ratio, Colgate emphasizes small classes, a distinctive liberal arts core curriculum, and an extensive study-abroad program. Admission is highly selective: Colgate admitted roughly 17.5% of more than 17,300 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years who submitted scores posted middle-50% SATs of 1450–1510 and an average high school GPA near 3.85. The social sciences are the most-conferred field, and Colgate is test-optional and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need through its Colgate Commitment aid program.
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Colgate admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early decision
Colgate offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~2.2× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized tests
Colgate is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Colgate supplemental essays
Colgate requires no supplemental essay for the 2026-2027 cycle — your Common App personal statement is the only essay they read.
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Class rank
Where Colgate's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 17% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Colgate does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Colgate weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Colgate's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Colgate admissions
Yes — Colgate is highly selective, admitting about 17.5% of applicants in the most recent cycle, roughly 3,030 offers out of more than 17,300 applications. Enrolled first-years are academically strong, averaging about a 3.85 high school GPA, with the rigor of your course load, GPA, and class rank all weighed as very important factors in admission.
Colgate's binding Early Decision rounds are admitted at a higher rate than the overall pool: the ED I and ED II rounds together received 1,342 applications and admitted 477, an early admit rate of roughly 35.5%, versus the 17.5% overall acceptance rate. Colgate offers two binding ED rounds (ED I and ED II) and does not offer a non-binding Early Action option.
No. Colgate is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting scores and won't be at a disadvantage. Among enrolled first-years who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1450–1510 on the SAT and 33–35 on the ACT; standardized test scores are treated as an important factor when you choose to send them.
Yes — a 1500 is competitive at Colgate, landing within the middle-50% SAT range of 1450–1510 for enrolled first-years and just above the median of about 1480. Nearly 96% of enrolled students who submitted scores were in the 1400–1600 band, so a 1500 fits comfortably in the admitted profile, though Colgate remains test-optional.
Enrolled first-years at Colgate report an average high school GPA of about 3.85, and the class skews toward the top of its cohort — among the 17% who reported a class rank, roughly 79% were in the top tenth of their graduating class. There's no published cutoff, but academic GPA and the rigor of your courses are both weighed as very important admission factors.
Tuition and required fees run about $76,592 per year for 2026-27, and housing and food add roughly $19,182 on top of that. Colgate meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; about 35% of first-years receive need-based aid, with an average first-year aid package near $73,834.
Yes. Colgate rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review — alongside recommendations, extracurriculars, and personal character, and above factors it merely considers like first-generation status or alumni relation. With an acceptance rate near 17.5%, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways a strong applicant can stand out.
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The social sciences are by far the most popular area at about 32% of degrees, followed by the biological sciences (14%) and psychology (8%). Computer science and the physical sciences round out the most-conferred fields, reflecting Colgate's breadth as a liberal arts college with an 8-to-1 student-faculty ratio.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: Colgate University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-08-20. In-State Cost and Out-of-State Cost are from Colgate Cost of Attendance. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Colgate. Banner photo by Will Schlitzer, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Colgate University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/colgate (retrieved 2026-08-20).