Nichols vs. Southwestern Adventist University

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

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
Location Dudley, MA Keene, TX
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 1,403 793
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #926
Religious Affiliation - Seventh Day Adventists - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nichols.edu swau.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
Tuition (In State) $37,150 $23,400
Tuition (Out of State) $37,150 $23,400
Room & Board $14,110 $8,600
Avg Net Price $27,192 $20,028
Avg Grant Aid $26,515 $13,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,358 1,438
Admitted 2,001 771
Acceptance Rate 84.9%Open 53.6%Open
Enrolled % 15.8%Open 16.9%Open
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.3
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24
SAT Range 945/1180 900/1180
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

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (75%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Education (2%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
Graduation Rate 43% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
% Men 63% 41%
% Women 37% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 21%
% Black 7% 14%
% Hispanic 6% 41%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
% In-State 57% 85%
% Out-of-State 40% 13%

Campus

Nichols Southwestern Adventist University
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

  • Nichols College is larger than than Southwestern Adventist University based on total student enrollment (1,403 students vs. 793 students)

Nichols vs. Southwestern Adventist University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Nichols or Southwestern Adventist University?

  • Nichols College is 58.8% more expensive to attend than Southwestern Adventist University for in-state tuition ($37,150.00 vs. $23,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.8% higher at Nichols than Southwestern Adventist University ($37,150.00 vs. $23,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwestern Adventist University than Nichols ($20,028 vs. $27,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Adventist University are 64.1% lower than costs at Nichols College ($8,600 vs. $14,110)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nichols College than Southwestern Adventist University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nichols College students is 89.9% larger than aid received Southwestern Adventist University ($26,515 vs. $13,959)

Nichols vs. Southwestern Adventist University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Nichols or Southwestern Adventist University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Southwestern Adventist University or Nichols .

  • Accepted freshman Southwestern Adventist University students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Nichols (2.9)
  • Nichols has a higher acceptance rate (84.9%) than Southwestern Adventist University (53.6%)

Nichols vs. Southwestern Adventist University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Nichols or Southwestern Adventist University? 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 Southwestern Adventist University and Nichols.

  • The graduation rate at Nichols is higher than Southwestern Adventist University (43% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Nichols College earn on average $9,200 more per year than Southwestern Adventist University graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $42,600)
  • Southwestern Adventist University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Nichols graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Southwestern Adventist University graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Nichols graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Nichols graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwestern Adventist University students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 49%)

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