Central College vs. BC

Should I go to Central College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College or BC 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. Bridgewater College comparison
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Central College Bridgewater College
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Overview

 Central College BC
Location Pella, IA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,169 1,421
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #676
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central College BC
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $38,800
Room & Board $10,860 $13,830
Avg Net Price $23,303 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Central College BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 3,402
Admitted 1,561 3,074
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 90.4%
Enrolled % 22.5% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 22/28
SAT Range 1040/1218 1020/1230
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Central College BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Central College BC
Graduation Rate 63% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

 Central College BC
% Men 52% 48%
% Women 48% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 73%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Central College BC
% In-State 73% 73%
% Out-of-State 26% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,421 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 96% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96% higher at BC than Central College ($38,800.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Central College ($19,332 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 27.3% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($10,860 vs. $13,830)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Bridgewater College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 210.4% larger than aid received Central College ($34,142 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 34 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming BC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Bridgewater College (63% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $4,900 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $43,100)
  • Bridgewater College and Central College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Bridgewater College and Central College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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