NEC vs. Plaza College

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Plaza College in Forest Hills, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

New England College is larger than Plaza College based on total student enrollment (3,275 students vs. 1,002 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Plaza College is in Forest Hills, NY (Large City setting).
• New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Plaza College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Plaza College 28:1.

NEC vs. Plaza College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or Plaza College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Plaza College than NEC ($19,860 vs. $27,398).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plaza College are 11.6% lower than at New England College ($15,500 vs. $17,526).
• New England College is 171.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Plaza College (about $26,488 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $15,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 171.4% higher at NEC than at Plaza College (about $26,488 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $15,450.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at New England College than at Plaza College (99% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 381.5% larger than aid received by Plaza College students ($32,095 vs. $6,665).

NEC vs. Plaza College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or Plaza College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Plaza College and NEC.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; Plaza College - Test-free.
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than Plaza College (30%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.8% at NEC vs. 54.9% at Plaza College.

NEC vs. Plaza College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and Plaza College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from New England College earn a median of about $12,100 more per year than Plaza College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,400 vs. $27,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Plaza College graduates have a $13,085 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($13,915 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Plaza College graduates have an estimated $136 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($143 vs. $279).
• More NEC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Plaza College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.