McPherson College vs. Tusculum College

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

 McPherson College Tusculum College
Location McPherson, KS Greeneville, TN
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 822 1,303
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1004
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcpherson.edu tusculum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McPherson College Tusculum College
Tuition (In State) $32,494 $26,558
Tuition (Out of State) $32,494 $26,558
Room & Board $9,918 $10,042
Avg Net Price $25,065 $20,414
Avg Grant Aid $21,916 $22,630
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 McPherson College Tusculum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,445 1,369
Admitted 952 1,110
Acceptance Rate 65.9% 81.1%
Enrolled % 26.3% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.18
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 17/22
SAT Range 908/1120 910/1110
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 Tusculum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (55%)
  • Education (31%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (1%)

Outcomes

 McPherson College Tusculum College
Graduation Rate 46% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $41,900
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 McPherson College Tusculum College
% Men 67% 48%
% Women 33% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 74%
% Black 10% 14%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 McPherson College Tusculum College
% In-State 31% 45%
% Out-of-State 62% 44%

Campus

 McPherson College Tusculum 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

  • Tusculum College is larger than than McPherson College based on total student enrollment (1,303 students vs. 822 students)

McPherson College vs. Tusculum College Cost Comparison

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

  • McPherson College is 22.4% more expensive to attend than Tusculum College for in-state tuition ($32,494.00 vs. $26,558.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.4% higher at McPherson College than Tusculum College ($32,494.00 vs. $26,558.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Tusculum College than McPherson College ($20,414 vs. $25,065)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McPherson College are 1.3% lower than costs at Tusculum College ($9,918 vs. $10,042)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College as Tusculum College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tusculum College students is 3.3% larger than aid received McPherson College ($22,630 vs. $21,916)

McPherson College vs. Tusculum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tusculum College (960) is 20 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming Tusculum College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman McPherson College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Tusculum College (3.18)
  • Tusculum College has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than McPherson College (65.9%)

McPherson College vs. Tusculum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at McPherson College is higher than Tusculum College (46% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $2,300 more per year than Tusculum College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $41,900)
  • McPherson College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Tusculum College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • McPherson College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Tusculum College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tusculum College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 52%)

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