Berea College vs. SPU

Should I go to Berea College or Seattle Pacific University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Berea College or SPU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Berea College vs. Seattle Pacific University comparison
Berea College Seattle Pacific University College 3 College 4
Berea College Seattle Pacific University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Berea College SPU
Location Berea, KY Seattle, WA
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,487 2,659
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #246
Religious Affiliation - Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Berea College SPU
Tuition (In State) $48,600 $37,965
Tuition (Out of State) $48,600 $37,965
Room & Board $7,892 $15,498
Avg Net Price $4,379 $26,155
Avg Grant Aid $51,923 $28,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Berea College SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,073 2,806
Admitted 678 2,556
Acceptance Rate 32.7% 91.1%
Enrolled % 60.9% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 24/27 20/28
SAT Range 1156/1335 1050/1320
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 Jul 11, 2026

Academics

Berea College SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Berea College SPU
Graduation Rate - 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $59 $264

Diversity

Berea College SPU
% Men 1% 6%
% Women 0% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 61%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 8% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Berea College SPU
% In-State 44% 71%
% Out-of-State 46% 26%

Campus

Berea College SPU
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

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (2,659 students vs. 1,487 students)

Berea College vs. SPU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or SPU?

  • Berea College is 28% more expensive to attend than SPU for in-state tuition ($48,600.00 vs. $37,965.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28% higher at Berea College than Seattle Pacific University ($48,600.00 vs. $37,965.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than SPU ($4,379 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 96.4% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($7,892 vs. $15,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 85% larger than aid received Seattle Pacific University ($51,923 vs. $28,070)

Berea College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 28 points higher than at Berea College (1117)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Berea College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Berea College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at SPU (3.53)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Berea College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $14,300 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $19,803 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($5,800 vs. $25,603)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $205 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($59 vs. $264)
  • More SPU 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/