ATU vs. Southwestern College

Should I go to Arkansas Tech University or Southwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ATU or Southwestern College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Arkansas Tech University vs. Southwestern College comparison
Arkansas Tech University Southwestern College College 3 College 4
Arkansas Tech University
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Overview

 ATU Southwestern College
Location Russellville, AR Winfield, KS
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 9,445 1,174
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #927 #453
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu sckans.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ATU Southwestern College
Tuition (In State) $5,820 $36,500
Tuition (Out of State) $11,640 $36,500
Room & Board $9,157 $9,380
Avg Net Price $12,016 $27,003
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $26,047
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

 ATU Southwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,762 1,240
Admitted 5,439 870
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 70.2%
Enrolled % 26.7% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 17/22
SAT Range 990/1180 900/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

 ATU Southwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (4%)

Outcomes

 ATU Southwestern College
Graduation Rate 43% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $53,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $183 $266

Diversity

 ATU Southwestern College
% Men 42% 65%
% Women 58% 35%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 54%
% Black 10% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 15%

Students

 ATU Southwestern College
% In-State 94% 36%
% Out-of-State 5% 61%

Campus

 ATU Southwestern College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than Southwestern College based on total student enrollment (9,445 students vs. 1,174 students)

ATU vs. Southwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or Southwestern College?

  • Southwestern College is 527.1% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($36,500.00 vs. $5,820.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 213.6% higher at Southwestern College than Arkansas Tech University ($36,500.00 vs. $11,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arkansas Tech University than Southwestern College ($12,016 vs. $27,003)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 2.4% lower than costs at Southwestern College ($9,157 vs. $9,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwestern College than Arkansas Tech University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern College students is 208.6% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($26,047 vs. $8,440)

ATU vs. Southwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ATU or Southwestern College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Southwestern College or ATU .

  • Accepted freshman ATU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Southwestern College (3.33)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than Southwestern College (70.2%)

ATU vs. Southwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU or Southwestern College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Southwestern College and ATU.

  • The graduation rate at Southwestern College is higher than Arkansas Tech University (57% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern College earn on average $16,000 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($53,100 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwestern College graduates. ($17,750 vs. $25,750)
  • ATU graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Southwestern College graduates. ($183 vs. $266)
  • More Southwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/