“A one-of-a-kind coordinate college on Seneca Lake — Hobart for men, William Smith for women, sharing one extraordinary campus since 1943.”
Hobart and William Smith Colleges is a coordinate liberal arts institution located in Geneva, New York, on the northern shore of Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. What makes HWS structurally unique among American colleges is its coordinate model: Hobart College, founded in 1822 by Episcopal Bishop John Henry Hobart as one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the country, and William Smith College, founded in 1908 through the bequest of William Smith, operate as distinct colleges sharing a single campus, faculty, curriculum, and student body — but conferring separate degrees. Students at Hobart graduate with a Hobart College degree; students at William Smith graduate with a William Smith College degree. This arrangement creates a vibrant, gender-conscious educational community combining single-sex traditions with the intellectual breadth of a fully coeducational environment. Academically, HWS offers more than 60 majors and programs with particular strengths in economics, political science, environmental studies, biology, computer science, and the arts. The Finger Lakes Institute supports faculty-student environmental research directly on Seneca Lake, organic gardens connect classroom learning to food systems, and sailing and outdoor programs take advantage of one of the most beautiful natural settings on any American campus. The William Smith emphasis on women's leadership runs through dedicated fellowships, the Centennial Center for Leadership, and a culture of ambition and mentorship. More than 50 percent of HWS students study abroad during their undergraduate years, placing the college consistently among the top study-abroad-sending institutions relative to its enrollment. With 97 percent of students receiving grant or scholarship aid averaging nearly $47,000 per year and a US News Best Value ranking of #58, HWS makes its sticker price significantly more accessible than it first appears.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Best Value Schools
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision I
Binding; decisions by mid-December
Early Action
Non-binding; decisions by mid-January
Early Decision II
Binding; decisions by mid-February
Regular Decision
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$64,988
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and international relations. Economics is the most popular major with the strongest graduate earnings.
Biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, environmental studies, and geoscience. The Finger Lakes Institute supports student-faculty environmental research.
English, history, philosophy, religious studies, art, art history, music, theatre, dance, and media & society.
The Centennial Center for Leadership and Women's Studies programs anchor William Smith's mission of developing women leaders across all disciplines.
4 years
HWS's most popular and highest-earning major. Graduates report median earnings of ~$84,370. Strong quantitative training and pipelines to New York finance, consulting, and graduate programs in economics and policy.
4 years
Nationally recognized program supported by the Finger Lakes Institute. Students conduct hands-on research on Seneca Lake and Finger Lakes ecosystems with opportunities in sustainability, environmental policy, and conservation.
4 years
Strong theoretical and applied training with deep connections to study abroad programs in Washington D.C., Europe, and international capitals. William Smith's leadership culture enriches the political science experience.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $65,117
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
