Hood vs. USW

Should I go to Hood College or University of the Southwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Hood or USW 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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Hood College vs. University of the Southwest comparison
Hood College University of the Southwest College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Hood USW
Location Frederick, MD Hobbs, NM
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,078 1,034
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hood.edu usw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hood USW
Tuition (In State) $45,120 $16,470
Tuition (Out of State) $45,120 $16,470
Room & Board $14,250 $8,000
Avg Net Price $23,462 $20,438
Avg Grant Aid $35,535 $9,786
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 Hood USW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,287 -
Admitted 2,568 -
Acceptance Rate 78.1% Open
Enrolled % 11.8% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.41 2.63
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Hood USW
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (29%)
  • Psychology (17%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Hood USW
Graduation Rate 68% 18%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

 Hood USW
% Men 13% 18%
% Women 28% 49%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 12%
% Black 12% 14%
% Hispanic 9% 47%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 26%

Students

 Hood USW
% In-State 70% 48%
% Out-of-State 29% 48%

Campus

 Hood USW
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

  • Hood College is larger than than USW based on total student enrollment (2,078 students vs. 1,034 students)

Hood vs. USW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hood or USW?

  • Hood College is 174% more expensive to attend than USW for in-state tuition ($45,120.00 vs. $16,470.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 174% higher at Hood than University of the Southwest ($45,120.00 vs. $16,470.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the Southwest than Hood ($20,438 vs. $23,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Southwest are 78.1% lower than costs at Hood College ($8,000 vs. $14,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hood College than University of the Southwest (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hood College students is 263.1% larger than aid received University of the Southwest ($35,535 vs. $9,786)

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

  • Accepted freshman Hood students have a 0.78 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at USW (2.63)

Hood vs. USW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hood or USW? 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 USW and Hood.

  • The graduation rate at Hood is higher than University of the Southwest (68% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from Hood College earn on average $1,600 more per year than USW graduates after ten years. ($47,300 vs. $45,700)
  • University of the Southwest students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Hood graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • USW graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Hood graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More Hood graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USW students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 47%)

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