Berea College vs. SU

Should I go to Berea College or Southwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Berea College or SU 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. Southwestern University comparison
Berea College Southwestern University College 3 College 4
Berea College Southwestern University
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Overview

 Berea College SU
Location Berea, KY Georgetown, TX
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,487 1,457
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #189
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Berea College SU
Tuition (In State) $48,600 $50,558
Tuition (Out of State) $48,600 $50,558
Room & Board $7,892 $13,628
Avg Net Price $4,379 $30,687
Avg Grant Aid $51,923 $32,956
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Berea College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,073 6,585
Admitted 678 2,573
Acceptance Rate 32.7% 39.1%
Enrolled % 60.9% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High High
ACT Range 24/27 24/30
SAT Range 1156/1335 1170/1340
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Berea College SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Berea College SU
Graduation Rate - 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $59 $278

Diversity

 Berea College SU
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 0% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 62%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Berea College SU
% In-State 44% 89%
% Out-of-State 46% 9%

Campus

 Berea College SU
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

  • Berea College is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (1,487 students vs. 1,457 students)

Berea College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or SU?

  • Southwestern University is 4% more expensive to attend than Berea College for in-state tuition ($50,558.00 vs. $48,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at SU than Berea College ($50,558.00 vs. $48,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than SU ($4,379 vs. $30,687)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 72.7% lower than costs at Southwestern University ($7,892 vs. $13,628)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Southwestern University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 57.6% larger than aid received Southwestern University ($51,923 vs. $32,956)

Berea College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwestern University (1168) is 51 points higher than at Berea College (1117)
  • Incoming SU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Berea College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Berea College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at SU (3.5)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (39.1%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Berea College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Southwestern University earn on average $21,300 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $21,093 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($5,800 vs. $26,893)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $219 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($59 vs. $278)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berea College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 62%)

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