Centre College vs. Elon

Should I go to Centre College or Elon University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Centre College or Elon 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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Centre College vs. Elon University comparison
Centre College Elon University College 3 College 4
Centre College Elon University
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Overview

Centre College Elon
Location Danville, KY Elon, NC
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,356 7,207
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #151 #134
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centre.edu elon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Centre College Elon
Tuition (In State) $50,250 $44,029
Tuition (Out of State) $50,250 $44,029
Room & Board $13,770 $14,478
Avg Net Price $23,780 $41,849
Avg Grant Aid $39,597 $17,523
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 69%

Admission

Centre College Elon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,226 18,791
Admitted 1,753 12,649
Acceptance Rate 54.3% 67.3%
Enrolled % 20.6% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/32 23/28
SAT Range 1230/1423 1143/1305
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 Jan 15, 2026 Jan 10, 2026

Academics

Centre College Elon
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • History (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Centre College Elon
Graduation Rate 82% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,500 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

Centre College Elon
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 1% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 82%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Centre College Elon
% In-State 54% 18%
% Out-of-State 40% 80%

Campus

Centre College Elon
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

  • Elon University is larger than than Centre College based on total student enrollment (7,207 students vs. 1,356 students)

Centre College vs. Elon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centre College or Elon?

  • Centre College is 14.1% more expensive to attend than Elon for in-state tuition ($50,250.00 vs. $44,029.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at Centre College than Elon University ($50,250.00 vs. $44,029.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Centre College than Elon ($23,780 vs. $41,849)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Centre College are 5.1% lower than costs at Elon University ($13,770 vs. $14,478)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centre College than Elon University (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Centre College students is 126% larger than aid received Elon University ($39,597 vs. $17,523)

Centre College vs. Elon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Centre College (1279) is 68 points higher than at Elon (1211)
  • Incoming Centre College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Elon (27)
  • Accepted freshman Elon students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Centre College (3.62)
  • Elon has a higher acceptance rate (67.3%) than Centre College (54.3%)

Centre College vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centre College or Elon? 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 Elon and Centre College.

  • The graduation rate at Centre College is the same as at Elon University (82% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $3,700 more per year than Centre College graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $52,500)
  • Elon University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Centre College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Elon graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Centre College graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Centre College students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 79%)

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