Central College vs. WLC

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

 Central College WLC
Location Pella, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,169 1,086
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #532
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central College WLC
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $33,210
Room & Board $10,860 $11,380
Avg Net Price $23,303 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Central College WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 1,474
Admitted 1,561 1,383
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 93.8%
Enrolled % 22.5% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 22/27
SAT Range 1040/1218 1038/1243
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 WLC
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%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Central College WLC
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

 Central College WLC
% Men 52% 44%
% Women 48% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 83%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Central College WLC
% In-State 73% 66%
% Out-of-State 26% 33%

Campus

 Central College WLC
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

  • Central College is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (1,169 students vs. 1,086 students)

Central College vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 67.7% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.7% higher at WLC than Central College ($33,210.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Central College ($22,682 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 4.8% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($10,860 vs. $11,380)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Wisconsin Lutheran College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 110.3% larger than aid received Central College ($23,128 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 33 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming WLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman WLC students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Central College is the same as at Wisconsin Lutheran College (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $5,000 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $43,000)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • WLC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WLC 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/