McPherson College vs. Defiance College

Should I go to McPherson College or Defiance College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if McPherson College or Defiance 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. Defiance College comparison
McPherson College Defiance College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 McPherson College Defiance College
Location McPherson, KS Defiance, OH
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 822 540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcpherson.edu defiance.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McPherson College Defiance College
Tuition (In State) $32,494 $34,556
Tuition (Out of State) $32,494 $34,556
Room & Board $9,918 $10,940
Avg Net Price $25,065 $23,196
Avg Grant Aid $21,916 $24,970
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 McPherson College Defiance College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,445 2,722
Admitted 952 1,711
Acceptance Rate 65.9% 62.9%
Enrolled % 26.3% 8.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/23 17/23
SAT Range 908/1120 860/1110
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 Defiance College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 McPherson College Defiance College
Graduation Rate 46% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 McPherson College Defiance College
% Men 67% 60%
% Women 33% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 80%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 McPherson College Defiance College
% In-State 31% 66%
% Out-of-State 62% 31%

Campus

 McPherson College Defiance College
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

  • McPherson College is larger than than Defiance College based on total student enrollment (822 students vs. 540 students)

McPherson College vs. Defiance College Cost Comparison

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

  • Defiance College is 6.3% more expensive to attend than McPherson College for in-state tuition ($34,556.00 vs. $32,494.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at Defiance College than McPherson College ($34,556.00 vs. $32,494.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Defiance College than McPherson College ($23,196 vs. $25,065)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McPherson College are 10.3% lower than costs at Defiance College ($9,918 vs. $10,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College than Defiance College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Defiance College students is 13.9% larger than aid received McPherson College ($24,970 vs. $21,916)

McPherson College vs. Defiance College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Defiance College (984) is 44 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming Defiance College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman McPherson College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Defiance College (3.12)
  • McPherson College has a higher acceptance rate (65.9%) than Defiance College (62.9%)

McPherson College vs. Defiance College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McPherson College or Defiance 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 Defiance College and McPherson College.

  • The graduation rate at Defiance College is higher than McPherson College (51% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $500 more per year than Defiance College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $43,700)
  • McPherson College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Defiance College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • McPherson College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Defiance College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Defiance College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 58%)

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