Hope College vs. SPU

Should I go to Hope College or Seattle Pacific University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Hope College or SPU 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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Hope College vs. Seattle Pacific University comparison
Hope College Seattle Pacific University College 3 College 4
Hope College Seattle Pacific University
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Overview

 Hope College SPU
Location Holland, MI Seattle, WA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 3,251 3,118
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #275 #270
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hope.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hope College SPU
Tuition (In State) $37,990 $36,504
Tuition (Out of State) $37,990 $36,504
Room & Board $11,900 $14,409
Avg Net Price $25,800 $26,549
Avg Grant Aid $24,880 $25,359
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Hope College SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,152 3,895
Admitted 4,145 3,533
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 90.7%
Enrolled % 23% 15.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/31 20/27
SAT Range 1090/1330 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

 Hope College SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Hope College SPU
Graduation Rate 79% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $279 $264

Diversity

 Hope College SPU
% Men 39% 31%
% Women 61% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 84% 61%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Hope College SPU
% In-State 68% 71%
% Out-of-State 32% 26%

Campus

 Hope College 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

  • Hope College is larger than than SPU based on total student enrollment (3,251 students vs. 3,118 students)

Hope College vs. SPU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hope College or SPU?

  • Hope College is 4.1% more expensive to attend than SPU for in-state tuition ($37,990.00 vs. $36,504.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Hope College than Seattle Pacific University ($37,990.00 vs. $36,504.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hope College than SPU ($25,800 vs. $26,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hope College are 21.1% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($11,900 vs. $14,409)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hope College than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 1.9% larger than aid received Hope College ($25,359 vs. $24,880)

Hope College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hope College (1205) is 60 points higher than at SPU (1145)
  • Incoming Hope College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SPU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at SPU (3.53)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than Hope College (80.5%)

Hope College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hope College 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 Hope College.

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Seattle Pacific University (79% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $2,900 more per year than Hope College graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $47,500)
  • Seattle Pacific University students graduate with a $1,397 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($25,603 vs. $27,000)
  • SPU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($264 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SPU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 82%)

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