Blackburn College vs. McPherson College

Should I go to Blackburn College or McPherson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or McPherson 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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Blackburn College vs. McPherson College comparison
Blackburn College McPherson College College 3 College 4
Blackburn College
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Overview

 Blackburn College McPherson College
Location Carlinville, IL McPherson, KS
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 382 822
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu mcpherson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Blackburn College McPherson College
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $32,494
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $32,494
Room & Board $9,020 $9,918
Avg Net Price $21,575 $25,065
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $21,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Blackburn College McPherson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 1,445
Admitted 504 952
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 65.9%
Enrolled % 21% 26.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/24 17/23
SAT Range 888/1125 908/1120
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 1, 2025

Academics

 Blackburn College McPherson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Blackburn College McPherson College
Graduation Rate 48% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

 Blackburn College McPherson College
% Men 44% 67%
% Women 56% 33%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 80% 70%
% Black 13% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 12%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Blackburn College McPherson College
% In-State 70% 31%
% Out-of-State 30% 62%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • McPherson College is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (822 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. McPherson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or McPherson College?

  • McPherson College is 24.7% more expensive to attend than Blackburn College for in-state tuition ($32,494.00 vs. $26,055.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.7% higher at McPherson College than Blackburn College ($32,494.00 vs. $26,055.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Blackburn College than McPherson College ($21,575 vs. $25,065)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 10% lower than costs at McPherson College ($9,020 vs. $9,918)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College as McPherson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McPherson College students is 55.3% larger than aid received Blackburn College ($21,916 vs. $14,112)

Blackburn College vs. McPherson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Blackburn College (1005) is 65 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming Blackburn College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman McPherson College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • McPherson College has a higher acceptance rate (65.9%) than Blackburn College (64.4%)

Blackburn College vs. McPherson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or McPherson 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 McPherson College and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Blackburn College is higher than McPherson College (48% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $3,800 more per year than Blackburn College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $40,400)
  • McPherson College and Blackburn College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($26,000 vs. $26,000)
  • McPherson College and Blackburn College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 58%)

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