North Central College vs. Meredith

Should I go to North Central College or Meredith College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if North Central College or Meredith 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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North Central College vs. Meredith College comparison
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North Central College Meredith College
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Overview

North Central College Meredith
Location Naperville, IL Raleigh, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,856 1,576
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #349 #344
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northcentralcollege.edu meredith.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

North Central College Meredith
Tuition (In State) $44,114 $43,816
Tuition (Out of State) $44,114 $43,816
Room & Board $12,434 $12,920
Avg Net Price $24,190 $23,405
Avg Grant Aid $30,619 $32,095
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

North Central College Meredith
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,241 1,563
Admitted 3,056 1,167
Acceptance Rate 58.3% 74.7%
Enrolled % 16.9% 27.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/27 23/30
SAT Range 1065/1280 1110/1260
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 Apr 15, 2026 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

North Central College Meredith
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

North Central College Meredith
Graduation Rate 64% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

North Central College Meredith
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 12% 15%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 71%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

North Central College Meredith
% In-State 79% 83%
% Out-of-State 18% 10%

Campus

North Central College Meredith
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

  • North Central College is larger than than Meredith based on total student enrollment (2,856 students vs. 1,576 students)

North Central College vs. Meredith Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Central College or Meredith?

  • North Central College is 0.7% more expensive to attend than Meredith for in-state tuition ($44,114.00 vs. $43,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.7% higher at North Central College than Meredith College ($44,114.00 vs. $43,816.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Meredith College than North Central College ($23,405 vs. $24,190)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Central College are 3.9% lower than costs at Meredith College ($12,434 vs. $12,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Central College than Meredith College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Meredith College students is 4.8% larger than aid received North Central College ($32,095 vs. $30,619)

North Central College vs. Meredith Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Central College (1125) is 89 points higher than at Meredith (1036)
  • Incoming North Central College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Meredith (23)
  • Accepted freshman North Central College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Meredith (3.52)
  • Meredith has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than North Central College (58.3%)

North Central College vs. Meredith Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Central College or Meredith? 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 Meredith and North Central College.

  • The graduation rate at North Central College is higher than Meredith College (64% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from North Central College earn on average $8,900 more per year than Meredith graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $40,000)
  • North Central College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Meredith graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • North Central College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Meredith graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More North Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Meredith students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 65%)

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