Skip to content
CollegeRanker
Hobart William Smith Colleges logo

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Private nonprofit Geneva, NY · Town · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
A Earnings B Graduation B Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
75% B
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$68,831 A
Top 8% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$31,563 F
84% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
64% B
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +69% vs avg
Graduation +31% vs avg
Net Price 84% vs avg
Mobility Top 23%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 12.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.2 over 20 years.

12.2× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $12.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,411,529.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 69% more than the national college median.

  3. A 75% graduation rate — 31% above the national average.

  4. Social mobility rate of 2.19% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  5. Every $1 invested returns $12.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Hobart William Smith Colleges Matters

Hobart William Smith Colleges is a private liberal arts college in Geneva, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 8% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Liberal Arts College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
Enrollment
1,786
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Social Sciences, Communications, Psychology, English & Literature

Why students choose Hobart William Smith Colleges

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 8% of colleges
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 40% overall
A
Earnings
$68,831 median
C-
Value
2.2× net price
F
Affordability
$31,563/yr net
B
Graduation
75% graduate
B
Social Mobility
2.2% climb Q1→Q5
B
Selectivity
64% admit rate
C-
Diversity
0.54 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of 1,786 students, Hobart William Smith Colleges creates an engaging environment suited for those interested in exploring fields like Social Sciences, Communications, Psychology, English & Literature, and Biology. The 64% acceptance rate means that while admission is competitive, there’s still a fair chance for those who apply. This school stands out for its liberal arts approach, encouraging students to think critically and creatively across a range of disciplines.

Life after graduation looks promising for many alumni, with a 10-year earning average of $68,831. This can be a significant factor for students considering their future career paths. While we don’t have details on mobility rates, the earnings suggest that graduates tend to find solid opportunities in their fields. Affordability plays a role here, too, as understanding the financial investment is crucial for prospective students.

When it comes to the bottom line, the net price after aid is about $31,563, with a median debt of $27,000. This balance makes Hobart William Smith Colleges a viable option for those who are looking to minimize their financial burden while still receiving a quality education. Students who thrive here are often those who appreciate a close-knit community and value a broad-based education that prepares them for various paths ahead.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Hobart William Smith Colleges is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Hobart William Smith Colleges? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Geneva, New York, Hobart William Smith Colleges offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 64% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,319. The graduation rate is roughly 75%.

Acceptance Rate
64%
Retention Rate
86%
SAT Average
1319
ACT Midpoint
29
SAT Range
1190–1385
ACT Range
28–32
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,559
Student–Faculty Ratio
8:1
Diversity Index
0.54
First-Gen Students
13%
Applicants
5,082
Admitted
3,475

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Hobart William Smith Colleges? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Hobart William Smith Colleges is $65,117, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $31,563. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,650 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$65,117
Out-of-State
$65,117
Avg Net Price
$31,563
Median Debt
$27,000
Pell Grant Rate
25%
Federal Loan Rate
74%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$14,650
Family Income $30K–$48K
$12,639
Family Income $48K–$75K
$22,108
Family Income $110K+
$39,740

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Hobart William Smith Colleges Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Hobart William Smith Colleges earn a median of $68,831, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$62,416
8 Years
$65,589
10 Years
$68,831
Debt-to-Earnings
0.39x
Earning > $25K
73%

Earnings Trajectory

$62,416 6yr $65,589 8yr $68,831 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (460)
72%
100% (460)
72%
100% (460)
72%
100% (460)
72%

How Hobart Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation75%Earnings 10yr$69KNet Price$32KRetention86%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate25%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$15K$0-30K$13K$30-48K$22K$48-75K$40K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%6.1%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%35.8%MOBILITY2.19%

College ROI Calculator

Is Hobart William Smith Colleges Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Hobart William Smith Colleges delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $31,563/year ($126,252 total). Graduates earn $68,831 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,537,781 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,411,529 (12.2× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 75% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$126,252
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,537,781
Net Return
$1,411,529
ROI Multiple
12.2×
Cost Per Year
$31,563
Median Debt
$27,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
75%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Hobart William Smith Colleges Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Hobart William Smith Colleges is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.19%, among the highest in the country. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 35.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $120,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.19%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
35.8%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
6.1%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$120,400

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Hobart William Smith Colleges? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Hobart William Smith Colleges. Its economic connectedness score is 1.81, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.81
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.00
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.5%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$5,737,195
Investment Income
$-37,528,154

Top Programs

The fields Hobart William Smith Colleges awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Hobart William Smith Colleges? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Geneva, New York, Hobart William Smith Colleges offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 64% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,319. The graduation rate is roughly 75%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Hobart William Smith Colleges? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Hobart William Smith Colleges is $65,117, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $31,563. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,650 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

Is Hobart William Smith Colleges Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Hobart William Smith Colleges earn a median of $68,831, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Hobart William Smith Colleges Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Hobart William Smith Colleges is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.19%, among the highest in the country. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 35.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $120,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Hobart William Smith Colleges? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Hobart William Smith Colleges. Its economic connectedness score is 1.81, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Hobart William Smith Colleges.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys