CCS vs. Mars Hill University

Comparable Facts

Compare College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI with Mars Hill University in Mars Hill, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College for Creative Studies is larger than Mars Hill University based on total student enrollment (1,433 students vs. 1,110 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College for Creative Studies is located in Detroit, MI (Large City setting); Mars Hill University is in Mars Hill, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• College for Creative Studies is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Mars Hill University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College for Creative Studies 10:1; Mars Hill University 11:1.

CCS vs. Mars Hill University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCS or Mars Hill University? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mars Hill University than CCS ($18,925 vs. $36,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mars Hill University are 19.7% lower than at College for Creative Studies ($12,258 vs. $15,272).
• College for Creative Studies is 41.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Mars Hill University (about $15,614 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $37,736.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 41.4% higher at CCS than at Mars Hill University (about $15,614 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $37,736.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mars Hill University than at College for Creative Studies (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mars Hill University students is 3.2% larger than aid received by College for Creative Studies students ($31,066 vs. $30,108).

CCS vs. Mars Hill University Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCS or Mars Hill University? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Mars Hill University and CCS.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CCS - Test-free; Mars Hill University - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman Mars Hill University students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at CCS (3.19).
• CCS has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Mars Hill University (67.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 24.9% at CCS vs. 31.1% at Mars Hill University.

CCS vs. Mars Hill University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCS and Mars Hill University? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• College for Creative Studies's six-year graduation rate (57%) is higher than Mars Hill University's (38%).
• Graduates from College for Creative Studies earn a median of about $13,800 more per year than Mars Hill University graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $32,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Mars Hill University and CCS graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Mars Hill University and CCS graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More CCS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mars Hill University students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.