Edward Waters College vs. College of the Atlantic

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

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
Location Jacksonville, FL Bar Harbor, ME
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,175 367
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation African Methodist Episcopal - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ewc.edu coa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
Tuition (In State) $14,658 $45,630
Tuition (Out of State) $14,658 $45,630
Room & Board $8,010 $10,101
Avg Net Price $13,763 $22,692
Avg Grant Aid $13,172 $33,884
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,805 446
Admitted 8,316 290
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 65%
Enrolled % 3.8% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.64 3.69
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 820/990
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • General Studies (100%)

Outcomes

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
Graduation Rate 18% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $27,800 $28,200
Making Student Loan Payments 14% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $19,750
Median Loan Payment N/A $204

Diversity

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 3% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 4% 72%
% Black 89% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 17%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
% In-State 84% 4%
% Out-of-State 14% 73%

Campus

Edward Waters College College of the Atlantic
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Edward Waters College is larger than than College of the Atlantic based on total student enrollment (1,175 students vs. 367 students)

Edward Waters College vs. College of the Atlantic Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Edward Waters College or College of the Atlantic?

  • College of the Atlantic is 211.3% more expensive to attend than Edward Waters College for in-state tuition ($45,630.00 vs. $14,658.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 211.3% higher at College of the Atlantic than Edward Waters College ($45,630.00 vs. $14,658.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Edward Waters College than College of the Atlantic ($13,763 vs. $22,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Edward Waters College are 26.1% lower than costs at College of the Atlantic ($8,010 vs. $10,101)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Edward Waters College as College of the Atlantic (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Atlantic students is 157.2% larger than aid received Edward Waters College ($33,884 vs. $13,172)

Edward Waters College vs. College of the Atlantic Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman College of the Atlantic students have a 1.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Edward Waters College (2.64)
  • Edward Waters College has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than College of the Atlantic (65%)

Edward Waters College vs. College of the Atlantic Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Edward Waters College or College of the Atlantic? 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 College of the Atlantic and Edward Waters College.

  • The graduation rate at College of the Atlantic is higher than Edward Waters College (71% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from College of the Atlantic earn on average $400 more per year than Edward Waters College graduates after ten years. ($28,200 vs. $27,800)
  • More College of the Atlantic graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Edward Waters College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 14%)

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