Central College vs. OU

Should I go to Central College or Ottawa University Ottawa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College or OU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Arizona Christian University Concordia University-Seward UIU ISU York College NSU Kansas Wesleyan University Simpson College William Penn University Wartburg College Florida College
Central College vs. Ottawa University Ottawa comparison
Central College Ottawa University Ottawa College 3 College 4
Central College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Central College OU
Location Pella, IA Ottawa, KS
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,095 1,055
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #548 #822
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America American Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu ottawa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central College OU
Tuition (In State) $20,988 $31,900
Tuition (Out of State) $20,988 $31,900
Room & Board $12,220 $12,160
Avg Net Price $22,499 $28,126
Avg Grant Aid $12,678 $23,215
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Central College OU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,978 3,600
Admitted 1,562 2,881
Acceptance Rate 79% 80%
Enrolled % 17.5% 10.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 16/21
SAT Range 935/1205 880/1140
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 OU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (18%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 Central College OU
Graduation Rate 63% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,875
Median Loan Payment $279 $226

Diversity

 Central College OU
% Men 1% 6%
% Women 2% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 61%
% Black 2% 13%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 5%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 14%

Students

 Central College OU
% In-State 72% 29%
% Out-of-State 28% 69%

Campus

 Central College OU
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

  • Central College is larger than than OU based on total student enrollment (1,095 students vs. 1,055 students)

Central College vs. OU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or OU?

  • Ottawa University Ottawa is 52% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($31,900.00 vs. $20,988.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52% higher at OU than Central College ($31,900.00 vs. $20,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than OU ($22,499 vs. $28,126)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ottawa University Ottawa are 0.5% lower than costs at Central College ($12,160 vs. $12,220)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Ottawa University Ottawa (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ottawa University Ottawa students is 83.1% larger than aid received Central College ($23,215 vs. $12,678)

Central College vs. OU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at OU (3.12)
  • OU has a higher acceptance rate (80%) than Central College (79%)

Central College vs. OU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Ottawa University Ottawa (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $1,600 more per year than OU graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $46,400)
  • Ottawa University Ottawa students graduate with a $5,125 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($21,875 vs. $27,000)
  • OU graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($226 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 46%)

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