Elms College vs. SPU

Should I go to College of Our Lady of the Elms or Seattle Pacific University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Elms College or SPU 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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College of Our Lady of the Elms vs. Seattle Pacific University comparison
College of Our Lady of the Elms Seattle Pacific University College 3 College 4
College of Our Lady of the Elms Seattle Pacific University
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Overview

 Elms College SPU
Location Chicopee, MA Seattle, WA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,332 2,659
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #246
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Elms College SPU
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $37,965
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $37,965
Room & Board $15,150 $15,498
Avg Net Price $22,311 $26,155
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $28,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 Elms College SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 2,806
Admitted 1,264 2,556
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 91.1%
Enrolled % 15.5% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28
SAT Range 1150/1320 1050/1320
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 Jul 11, 2026

Academics

 Elms College SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Elms College SPU
Graduation Rate 58% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $258 $264

Diversity

 Elms College SPU
% Men 4% 6%
% Women 18% 16%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 61%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 8%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 24% 1%

Students

 Elms College SPU
% In-State 71% 71%
% Out-of-State 26% 26%

Campus

 Elms College SPU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (2,659 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. SPU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elms College or SPU?

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 5.6% more expensive to attend than SPU for in-state tuition ($40,095.00 vs. $37,965.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at Elms College than Seattle Pacific University ($40,095.00 vs. $37,965.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than SPU ($22,311 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 2.3% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($15,150 vs. $15,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 10.5% larger than aid received Seattle Pacific University ($31,015 vs. $28,070)

Elms College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 169 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman SPU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Elms College (3.42)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Elms College (87.7%)

Elms College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elms College or SPU? 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 SPU and Elms College.

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (74% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $4,100 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $46,300)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $603 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,603)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($258 vs. $264)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 61%)

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