Central College vs. MCC

Deciding between Central College and Manhattan Christian College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Central College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Central College Pella, IA
  • MCC Manhattan, KS
  • Setting
  • Central College Distant Town
  • MCC Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • Central College 1,084
  • MCC 160
  • Type
  • Central College Private 4 Year
  • MCC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Central College #506
  • MCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Central College Reformed Church in America
  • MCC Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
  • Status
  • Central College Non-profit
  • MCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Central College
  • MCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Central College $20,988
  • MCC $19,126
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Central College $20,988
  • MCC $19,126
  • Room & Board
  • Central College $12,060
  • MCC $11,432
  • Average Net Price
  • Central College $23,848
  • MCC $24,213
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Central College $13,925
  • MCC $10,253
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Central College 100%
  • MCC 94%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Central College 1,706
  • MCC 55
  • Admitted
  • Central College 1,470
  • MCC 55
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Central College 86.2%
  • MCC 100% Open
  • Enrolled
  • Central College 21%
  • MCC 67.3% Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Central College 1090
  • MCC
  • Typical ACT score
  • Central College 23
  • MCC 21
  • Average High School GPA
  • Central College 3.52
  • MCC 3.24
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Central College A-
  • MCC B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Central College Easy
  • MCC Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • Central College
  • MCC
  • ACT Range
  • Central College 20/26
  • MCC 17/25
  • SAT Range
  • Central College 1056/1120
  • MCC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Central College Test optional
  • MCC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Central College
  • MCC Mar 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Central College 11:1
  • MCC 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Central College
    • Business (17%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • MCC
    • Theology and Religious Vvocations (68%)
    • Business (32%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Central College 63%
  • MCC 38%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Central College $48,000
  • MCC $36,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Central College 78%
  • MCC 65%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Central College $27,000
  • MCC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Central College $279
  • MCC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Central College 55%
  • MCC 50%
  • % Women
  • Central College 45%
  • MCC 50%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Central College Very Low
  • MCC Very Low
  • HBCU
  • Central College No
  • MCC No
  • % White
  • Central College 87%
  • MCC 77%
  • % Asian
  • Central College 1%
  • MCC 1%
  • % Black
  • Central College 2%
  • MCC 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Central College 4%
  • MCC 6%
  • % Native American
  • Central College 0%
  • MCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Central College 0%
  • MCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Central College 1%
  • MCC 1%
  • % International
  • Central College 0%
  • MCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Central College 3%
  • MCC 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Central College 75%
  • MCC 42%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Central College 25%
  • MCC 48%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Central College Yes
  • MCC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Central College No
  • MCC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Central College Yes
  • MCC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Central College No
  • MCC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Central College No
  • MCC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Central College in Pella, IA with Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Central College is larger than MCC based on total student enrollment (1,084 students vs. 160 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Central College is located in Pella, IA (Distant Town setting); Manhattan Christian College is in Manhattan, KS (Remote Town setting).
  • Central College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Manhattan Christian College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Central College 11:1; Manhattan Christian College 10:1.

Central College vs. MCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or MCC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than MCC ($23,848 vs. $24,213).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Manhattan Christian College are 5.2% lower than at Central College ($11,432 vs. $12,060).
  • Central College is 9.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than MCC (about $1,862 more per year; $20,988.00 vs. $19,126.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.7% higher at Central College than at Manhattan Christian College (about $1,862 more per year; $20,988.00 vs. $19,126.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Central College than at Manhattan Christian College (100% vs. 94%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central College students is 35.8% larger than aid received by Manhattan Christian College students ($13,925 vs. $10,253).

Central College vs. MCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Central College or MCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between MCC and Central College.

  • Manhattan Christian College reports an open admissions policy.
  • Incoming Central College students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (23 vs. 21 at MCC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Central College 1056/1120.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Central College 20/26; Manhattan Christian College 17/25.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Central College - Test optional; MCC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: MCC Mar 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at MCC (3.24).
  • MCC has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Central College (86.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21% at Central College vs. 67.3% at MCC.

Central College vs. MCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Central College and MCC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Central College's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than Manhattan Christian College's (38%).
  • Graduates from Central College earn a median of about $11,300 more per year than MCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,000 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.