Marian vs. AU

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

 Marian AU
Location Indianapolis, IN Anderson, SC
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 3,701 4,121
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website marian.edu andersonuniversity.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Marian AU
Tuition (In State) $37,600 $30,860
Tuition (Out of State) $37,600 $30,860
Room & Board $12,000 $11,230
Avg Net Price $22,554 $21,633
Avg Grant Aid $28,904 $24,409
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Marian AU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,997 5,043
Admitted 1,874 2,289
Acceptance Rate 93.8% 45.4%
Enrolled % 24.8% 34.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Marian AU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (55%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Education (37%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Marian AU
Graduation Rate 58% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $37,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,862
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Marian AU
% Men 37% 35%
% Women 63% 65%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 83%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Marian AU
% In-State 87% 68%
% Out-of-State 10% 31%

Campus

 Marian AU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Anderson University is larger than than Marian based on total student enrollment (4,121 students vs. 3,701 students)

Marian vs. AU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Marian or AU?

  • Marian University is 21.8% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($37,600.00 vs. $30,860.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.8% higher at Marian than Anderson University ($37,600.00 vs. $30,860.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Anderson University than Marian ($21,633 vs. $22,554)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Anderson University are 6.9% lower than costs at Marian University ($11,230 vs. $12,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Marian University as Anderson University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marian University students is 18.4% larger than aid received Anderson University ($28,904 vs. $24,409)

Marian vs. AU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Anderson University (1078) is 52 points higher than at Marian (1026)
  • Incoming AU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Marian (23)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Marian (3.56)
  • Marian has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than AU (45.4%)

Marian vs. AU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Marian or AU? 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 AU and Marian.

  • The graduation rate at Marian is higher than Anderson University (58% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Marian University earn on average $7,300 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $37,500)
  • Anderson University students graduate with a $138 lower median federal student loan debt than Marian graduates. ($26,862 vs. $27,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Marian graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marian students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 57%)

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