Central College vs. Saint Benedict

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

 Central College Saint Benedict
Location Pella, IA Saint Joseph, MN
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,169 1,470
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #287
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu csbsju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central College Saint Benedict
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $50,950
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $50,950
Room & Board $10,860 $11,922
Avg Net Price $23,303 $28,746
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $37,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Central College Saint Benedict
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 1,689
Admitted 1,561 1,483
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 87.8%
Enrolled % 22.5% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/27
SAT Range 1040/1218 1055/1245
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 Saint Benedict
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • English and Literature (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • General Studies (10%)

Outcomes

 Central College Saint Benedict
Graduation Rate 63% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,343
Median Loan Payment $279 $272

Diversity

 Central College Saint Benedict
% Men 52% 0%
% Women 48% 100%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 79%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Central College Saint Benedict
% In-State 73% 84%
% Out-of-State 26% 13%

Campus

 Central College Saint Benedict
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

  • College of Saint Benedict is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,470 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. Saint Benedict Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or Saint Benedict?

  • College of Saint Benedict is 157.3% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($50,950.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 157.3% higher at Saint Benedict than Central College ($50,950.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than Saint Benedict ($23,303 vs. $28,746)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 9.8% lower than costs at College of Saint Benedict ($10,860 vs. $11,922)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as College of Saint Benedict (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Saint Benedict students is 238.7% larger than aid received Central College ($37,252 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. Saint Benedict Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Saint Benedict (1118) is 50 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming Saint Benedict students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Benedict students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • Saint Benedict has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. Saint Benedict Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College or Saint Benedict? 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 Saint Benedict and Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Benedict is higher than Central College (81% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from College of Saint Benedict earn on average $5,700 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,000)
  • College of Saint Benedict students graduate with a $657 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($26,343 vs. $27,000)
  • Saint Benedict graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($272 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Benedict graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 78%)

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