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Seattle U Butler UW-Seattle Creighton University PLU ISU George Fox University University of St Thomas Iowa Marquette University Grinnell Bradley| Drake University | Seattle Pacific University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Drake | SPU | ||
| Location | Des Moines, IA | Seattle, WA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,685 | 3,118 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #149 | #270 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Free Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | drake.edu | spu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Drake | SPU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $47,564 | $36,504 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $47,564 | $36,504 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,570 | $14,409 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,333 | $26,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,274 | $25,359 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Drake | SPU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,621 | 3,895 | ||
| Admitted | 5,796 | 3,533 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 67.2% | 90.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 15.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.53 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/30 | 20/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1110/1340 | 1080/1350 | ||
| 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, 2025 |
Academics |
Drake | SPU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Drake | SPU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $68,500 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $25,603 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $264 |
Diversity |
Drake | SPU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 69% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 61% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 8% | ||
| % International | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Drake | SPU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 35% | 71% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 63% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Drake | SPU | ||
| 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
- Drake University is larger than than SPU based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 3,118 students)
Drake vs. SPU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Drake or SPU?
- Drake University is 30.3% more expensive to attend than SPU for in-state tuition ($47,564.00 vs. $36,504.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.3% higher at Drake than Seattle Pacific University ($47,564.00 vs. $36,504.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Seattle Pacific University than Drake ($26,549 vs. $30,333)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 24.5% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($11,570 vs. $14,409)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Drake University than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 23.3% larger than aid received Seattle Pacific University ($31,274 vs. $25,359)
Drake vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Drake or SPU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SPU or Drake .
- The average SAT score at Drake University (1224) is 79 points higher than at SPU (1145)
- Incoming Drake students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SPU (26)
- Accepted freshman Drake students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at SPU (3.53)
- SPU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than Drake (67.2%)
Drake vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Drake 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 Drake.
- The graduation rate at Drake is higher than Seattle Pacific University (75% vs. 74%)
- Graduates from Drake University earn on average $18,100 more per year than SPU graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $50,400)
- Seattle Pacific University students graduate with a $397 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($25,603 vs. $26,000)
- SPU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($264 vs. $268)
- More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SPU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/