Central College vs. Mount Saint Mary College

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

Central College Mount Saint Mary College
Location Pella, IA Newburgh, NY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,169 1,918
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #573
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu msmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College Mount Saint Mary College
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $36,522
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $36,522
Room & Board $10,860 $17,916
Avg Net Price $23,303 $23,439
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $25,237
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Central College Mount Saint Mary College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 2,604
Admitted 1,561 2,299
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 88.3%
Enrolled % 22.5% 10.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1040/1218 1075/1225
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 Mount Saint Mary College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (16%)
  • History (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Central College Mount Saint Mary College
Graduation Rate 63% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Central College Mount Saint Mary College
% Men 52% 28%
% Women 48% 72%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 61%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 11%

Students

Central College Mount Saint Mary College
% In-State 73% 87%
% Out-of-State 26% 13%

Campus

Central College Mount Saint Mary 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

  • Mount Saint Mary College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,918 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. Mount Saint Mary College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or Mount Saint Mary College?

  • Mount Saint Mary College is 84.5% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($36,522.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.5% higher at Mount Saint Mary College than Central College ($36,522.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than Mount Saint Mary College ($23,303 vs. $23,439)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 65% lower than costs at Mount Saint Mary College ($10,860 vs. $17,916)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than Mount Saint Mary College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Saint Mary College students is 129.4% larger than aid received Central College ($25,237 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. Mount Saint Mary College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 86 points higher than at Mount Saint Mary College (982)
  • Incoming Central College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Mount Saint Mary College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Mount Saint Mary College (3.3)
  • Mount Saint Mary College has a higher acceptance rate (88.3%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. Mount Saint Mary College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College or Mount Saint Mary 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 Mount Saint Mary College and Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Mount Saint Mary College (63% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Mount Saint Mary College earn on average $1,200 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $48,000)
  • Mount Saint Mary College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Mount Saint Mary College 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 Mount Saint Mary College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 67%)

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