Berea College vs. Oberlin

Should I go to Berea College or Oberlin College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Berea College or Oberlin 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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Berea College vs. Oberlin College comparison
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Berea College Oberlin College
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Overview

Berea College Oberlin
Location Berea, KY Oberlin, OH
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,487 2,976
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #155
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Berea College Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $48,600 $63,700
Tuition (Out of State) $48,600 $63,700
Room & Board $7,892 $18,942
Avg Net Price $4,379 $50,484
Avg Grant Aid $51,923 $33,746
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Berea College Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,073 11,039
Admitted 678 3,641
Acceptance Rate 32.7% 33%
Enrolled % 60.9% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 24/27 30/33
SAT Range 1156/1335 1370/1510
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 Mar 31, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Berea College Oberlin
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Berea College Oberlin
Graduation Rate - 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $59 $274

Diversity

Berea College Oberlin
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 0% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 68%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Berea College Oberlin
% In-State 44% 6%
% Out-of-State 46% 84%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Oberlin College is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (2,976 students vs. 1,487 students)

Berea College vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or Oberlin?

  • Oberlin College is 31.1% more expensive to attend than Berea College for in-state tuition ($63,700.00 vs. $48,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.1% higher at Oberlin than Berea College ($63,700.00 vs. $48,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than Oberlin ($4,379 vs. $50,484)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 140% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($7,892 vs. $18,942)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Oberlin College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 53.9% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($51,923 vs. $33,746)

Berea College vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oberlin College (1357) is 240 points higher than at Berea College (1117)
  • Incoming Oberlin students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Berea College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Oberlin students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Berea College (3.62)
  • Oberlin has a higher acceptance rate (33%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Berea College vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Berea College or Oberlin? 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 Oberlin and Berea College.

  • Graduates from Oberlin College earn on average $7,800 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $20,779 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($5,800 vs. $26,579)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $215 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($59 vs. $274)
  • More Oberlin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berea College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 62%)

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