Central College vs. AQ

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

 Central College AQ
Location Pella, IA Grand Rapids, MI
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,095 1,295
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #548 #716
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu aquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central College AQ
Tuition (In State) $20,988 $37,720
Tuition (Out of State) $20,988 $37,720
Room & Board $12,220 $10,994
Avg Net Price $22,499 $19,890
Avg Grant Aid $12,678 $29,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Central College AQ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,978 2,291
Admitted 1,562 1,628
Acceptance Rate 79% 71.1%
Enrolled % 17.5% 18.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/25
SAT Range 935/1205 990/1210
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

Academics

 Central College AQ
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 Central College AQ
Graduation Rate 63% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

 Central College AQ
% Men 1% 2%
% Women 2% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 82%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Central College AQ
% In-State 72% 84%
% Out-of-State 28% 13%

Campus

 Central College AQ
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

  • Aquinas College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,295 students vs. 1,095 students)

Central College vs. AQ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or AQ?

  • Aquinas College is 79.7% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($37,720.00 vs. $20,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.7% higher at AQ than Central College ($37,720.00 vs. $20,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Aquinas College than Central College ($19,890 vs. $22,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 11.2% lower than costs at Central College ($10,994 vs. $12,220)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Aquinas College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Aquinas College students is 129.1% larger than aid received Central College ($29,042 vs. $12,678)

Central College vs. AQ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Aquinas College (1090) is 22 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming AQ students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.52) as students at AQ (3.52)
  • Central College has a higher acceptance rate (79%) than AQ (71.1%)

Central College vs. AQ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College or AQ? 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 AQ and Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Aquinas College (63% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $8,000 more per year than AQ graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $40,000)
  • Aquinas College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • AQ graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AQ students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 60%)

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