Henderson State University vs. Cottey College

Should I go to Henderson State University or Cottey College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Henderson State University or Cottey College 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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Henderson State University vs. Cottey College comparison
Henderson State University Cottey College College 3 College 4
Henderson State University Cottey College
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Overview

Henderson State University Cottey College
Location Arkadelphia, AR Nevada, MO
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 2,519 311
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #976
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hsu.edu cottey.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Henderson State University Cottey College
Tuition (In State) $5,880 $23,350
Tuition (Out of State) $8,088 $23,350
Room & Board $9,558 $8,620
Avg Net Price $17,656 $17,123
Avg Grant Aid $9,580 $17,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 98%

Admission

Henderson State University Cottey College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,345 682
Admitted 1,657 498
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 73%
Enrolled % 24.9% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/21 18/25
SAT Range 903/1073 1030/1120
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Henderson State University Cottey College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

Henderson State University Cottey College
Graduation Rate 31% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $33,900
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $124

Diversity

Henderson State University Cottey College
% Men 40% 0%
% Women 60% 100%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 60%
% Black 24% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 10%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Henderson State University Cottey College
% In-State 81% 34%
% Out-of-State 19% 63%

Campus

Henderson State University Cottey College
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

  • Henderson State University is larger than than Cottey College based on total student enrollment (2,519 students vs. 311 students)

Henderson State University vs. Cottey College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Henderson State University or Cottey College?

  • Cottey College is 297.1% more expensive to attend than Henderson State University for in-state tuition ($23,350.00 vs. $5,880.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.7% higher at Cottey College than Henderson State University ($23,350.00 vs. $8,088.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cottey College than Henderson State University ($17,123 vs. $17,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cottey College are 10.9% lower than costs at Henderson State University ($8,620 vs. $9,558)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cottey College than Henderson State University (98% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cottey College students is 80.7% larger than aid received Henderson State University ($17,308 vs. $9,580)

Henderson State University vs. Cottey College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cottey College (1049) is 61 points higher than at Henderson State University (988)
  • Incoming Cottey College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Henderson State University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Cottey College students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Henderson State University (3.23)
  • Cottey College has a higher acceptance rate (73%) than Henderson State University (70.7%)

Henderson State University vs. Cottey College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Henderson State University or Cottey College? 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 Cottey College and Henderson State University.

  • Graduates from Henderson State University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Cottey College graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $33,900)
  • Cottey College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Henderson State University graduates. ($12,000 vs. $19,500)
  • Cottey College graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Henderson State University graduates. ($124 vs. $201)
  • More Cottey College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Henderson State University students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 48%)

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