Elms College vs. SU

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

 Elms College SU
Location Chicopee, MA Georgetown, TX
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,332 1,457
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #189
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Elms College SU
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $50,558
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $50,558
Room & Board $15,150 $13,628
Avg Net Price $22,311 $30,687
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $32,956
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Elms College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 6,585
Admitted 1,264 2,573
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 39.1%
Enrolled % 15.5% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 24/30
SAT Range 1150/1320 1170/1340
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Elms College SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Elms College SU
Graduation Rate 58% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $258 $278

Diversity

 Elms College SU
% Men 4% 0%
% Women 18% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 62%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 24% 2%

Students

 Elms College SU
% In-State 71% 89%
% Out-of-State 26% 9%

Campus

 Elms College SU
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

  • Southwestern University is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (1,457 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elms College or SU?

  • Southwestern University is 26.1% more expensive to attend than Elms College for in-state tuition ($50,558.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.1% higher at SU than College of Our Lady of the Elms ($50,558.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than SU ($22,311 vs. $30,687)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern University are 11.2% lower than costs at College of Our Lady of the Elms ($13,628 vs. $15,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Southwestern University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern University students is 6.3% larger than aid received College of Our Lady of the Elms ($32,956 vs. $31,015)

Elms College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwestern University (1168) is 192 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming SU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Elms College (3.42)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than SU (39.1%)

Elms College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (73% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern University earn on average $11,100 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $46,300)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $1,893 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,893)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($258 vs. $278)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 61%)

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