Centre College vs. Salem College

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

Centre College Salem College
Location Danville, KY Winston Salem, NC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,356 519
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #151
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Moravian Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centre.edu salem.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Centre College Salem College
Tuition (In State) $50,250 $31,720
Tuition (Out of State) $50,250 $31,720
Room & Board $13,770 $13,056
Avg Net Price $23,780 $19,000
Avg Grant Aid $39,597 $28,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Centre College Salem College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,226 1,951
Admitted 1,753 1,698
Acceptance Rate 54.3% 87%
Enrolled % 20.6% 9.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 18/27
SAT Range 1230/1423 1078/1315
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, 2025

Academics

Centre College Salem College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • History (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Centre College Salem College
Graduation Rate 82% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,500 $35,000
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Centre College Salem College
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 1% 14%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 55%
% Black 5% 22%
% Hispanic 3% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Centre College Salem College
% In-State 54% 78%
% Out-of-State 40% 22%

Campus

Centre College Salem College
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

  • Centre College is larger than than Salem College based on total student enrollment (1,356 students vs. 519 students)

Centre College vs. Salem College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centre College or Salem College?

  • Centre College is 58.4% more expensive to attend than Salem College for in-state tuition ($50,250.00 vs. $31,720.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.4% higher at Centre College than Salem College ($50,250.00 vs. $31,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salem College than Centre College ($19,000 vs. $23,780)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salem College are 5.5% lower than costs at Centre College ($13,056 vs. $13,770)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Centre College as Salem College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Centre College students is 37.2% larger than aid received Salem College ($39,597 vs. $28,860)

Centre College vs. Salem College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Centre College (1279) is 160 points higher than at Salem College (1119)
  • Incoming Centre College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Salem College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Centre College students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Salem College (3.3)
  • Salem College has a higher acceptance rate (87%) than Centre College (54.3%)

Centre College vs. Salem College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centre College or Salem 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 Salem College and Centre College.

  • The graduation rate at Centre College is higher than Salem College (82% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Centre College earn on average $17,500 more per year than Salem College graduates after ten years. ($52,500 vs. $35,000)
  • Salem College and Centre College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Salem College and Centre College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Centre College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem College students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 53%)

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