McPherson College vs. OC Comets

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

 McPherson College OC Comets
Location McPherson, KS Olivet, MI
Setting Remote Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 788 973
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 olivetcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McPherson College OC Comets
Tuition (In State) $34,072 $32,694
Tuition (Out of State) $34,072 $32,694
Room & Board $10,322 $11,886
Avg Net Price $25,490 $23,533
Avg Grant Aid $22,929 $22,602
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 McPherson College OC Comets
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,209 1,417
Admitted 1,013 1,376
Acceptance Rate 83.8% 97.1%
Enrolled % 23.8% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 18/23
SAT Range 936/1126 910/1120
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 McPherson College OC Comets
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

 McPherson College OC Comets
Graduation Rate 46% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 McPherson College OC Comets
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 0% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 75%
% Black 10% 13%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 McPherson College OC Comets
% In-State 27% 92%
% Out-of-State 69% 8%

Campus

 McPherson College OC Comets
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

  • Olivet College is larger than than McPherson College based on total student enrollment (973 students vs. 788 students)

McPherson College vs. OC Comets Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McPherson College or OC Comets?

  • McPherson College is 4.2% more expensive to attend than OC Comets for in-state tuition ($34,072.00 vs. $32,694.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at McPherson College than Olivet College ($34,072.00 vs. $32,694.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Olivet College than McPherson College ($23,533 vs. $25,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McPherson College are 15.2% lower than costs at Olivet College ($10,322 vs. $11,886)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College as Olivet College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McPherson College students is 1.4% larger than aid received Olivet College ($22,929 vs. $22,602)

McPherson College vs. OC Comets Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McPherson College (940) is 9 points higher than at OC Comets (931)
  • Incoming McPherson College students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at OC Comets (20)
  • OC Comets has a higher acceptance rate (97.1%) than McPherson College (83.8%)

McPherson College vs. OC Comets Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McPherson College or OC Comets? 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 OC Comets and McPherson College.

  • The graduation rate at McPherson College is the same as at Olivet College (46% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $4,900 more per year than OC Comets graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $39,300)
  • McPherson College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than OC Comets graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • McPherson College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than OC Comets graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OC Comets students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 53%)

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