McPherson College vs. Cottey College

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

McPherson College Cottey College
Location McPherson, KS Nevada, MO
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 822 311
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcpherson.edu cottey.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

McPherson College Cottey College
Tuition (In State) $32,494 $23,350
Tuition (Out of State) $32,494 $23,350
Room & Board $9,918 $8,620
Avg Net Price $25,065 $17,123
Avg Grant Aid $21,916 $17,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

McPherson College Cottey College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,445 682
Admitted 952 498
Acceptance Rate 65.9% 73%
Enrolled % 26.3% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/23 18/25
SAT Range 908/1120 1030/1120
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

McPherson College Cottey College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

McPherson College Cottey College
Graduation Rate 46% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $33,900
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $124

Diversity

McPherson College Cottey College
% Men 67% 0%
% Women 33% 100%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 60%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 4% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

McPherson College Cottey College
% In-State 31% 34%
% Out-of-State 62% 63%

Campus

McPherson College Cottey College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • McPherson College is larger than than Cottey College based on total student enrollment (822 students vs. 311 students)

McPherson College vs. Cottey College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McPherson College or Cottey College?

  • McPherson College is 39.2% more expensive to attend than Cottey College for in-state tuition ($32,494.00 vs. $23,350.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.2% higher at McPherson College than Cottey College ($32,494.00 vs. $23,350.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cottey College than McPherson College ($17,123 vs. $25,065)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cottey College are 15.1% lower than costs at McPherson College ($8,620 vs. $9,918)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College than Cottey College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McPherson College students is 26.6% larger than aid received Cottey College ($21,916 vs. $17,308)

McPherson College vs. Cottey College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cottey College (1049) is 109 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming Cottey College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Cottey College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at McPherson College (3.33)
  • Cottey College has a higher acceptance rate (73%) than McPherson College (65.9%)

McPherson College vs. Cottey College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McPherson College 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 McPherson College.

  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $10,300 more per year than Cottey College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $33,900)
  • Cottey College students graduate with a $14,000 lower median federal student loan debt than McPherson College graduates. ($12,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Cottey College graduates are paying $144 less per month on federal student loans than McPherson College graduates. ($124 vs. $268)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cottey College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 61%)

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