Hood vs. Mars Hill University

Comparable Facts

Compare Hood College in Frederick, MD with Mars Hill University in Mars Hill, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hood College is larger than Mars Hill University based on total student enrollment (2,101 students vs. 1,110 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Hood College is located in Frederick, MD (Small City setting); Mars Hill University is in Mars Hill, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Hood College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Mars Hill University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Hood College 10:1; Mars Hill University 11:1.

Hood vs. Mars Hill University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hood or Mars Hill University? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mars Hill University than Hood ($18,925 vs. $23,350).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mars Hill University are 24.3% lower than at Hood College ($12,258 vs. $16,200).
• Hood College is 26.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Mars Hill University (about $9,964 more per year; $47,700.00 vs. $37,736.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.4% higher at Hood than at Mars Hill University (about $9,964 more per year; $47,700.00 vs. $37,736.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Hood College as at Mars Hill University (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hood College students is 22.2% larger than aid received by Mars Hill University students ($37,957 vs. $31,066).

Hood vs. Mars Hill University Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hood or Mars Hill University? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Mars Hill University and Hood.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Hood - Test-free; Mars Hill University - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Hood Aug 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Mars Hill University students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Hood (3.41).
• Hood has a higher acceptance rate (77.8%) than Mars Hill University (67.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12% at Hood vs. 31.1% at Mars Hill University.

Hood vs. Mars Hill University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Hood and Mars Hill University? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Hood College's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Mars Hill University's (38%).
• Graduates from Hood College earn a median of about $15,000 more per year than Mars Hill University graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,300 vs. $32,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Mars Hill University and Hood graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Mars Hill University and Hood graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Hood graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mars Hill University students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.