OC Comets vs. SAU

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

 OC Comets SAU
Location Olivet, MI Spring Arbor, MI
Setting Distant Rural Small Suburban
Enrollment 973 2,390
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #553
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website olivetcollege.edu arbor.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OC Comets SAU
Tuition (In State) $32,694 $31,940
Tuition (Out of State) $32,694 $31,940
Room & Board $11,886 $10,960
Avg Net Price $23,533 $21,720
Avg Grant Aid $22,602 $21,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 OC Comets SAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,417 3,145
Admitted 1,376 1,174
Acceptance Rate 97.1% 37.3%
Enrolled % 24.3% 17.5%
Avg High School GPA - 3.61
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 18/23 17/25
SAT Range 910/1120 935/1165
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 OC Comets SAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

 OC Comets SAU
Graduation Rate 46% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,043
Median Loan Payment $279 $248

Diversity

 OC Comets SAU
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 2% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 77%
% Black 13% 10%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 OC Comets SAU
% In-State 92% 82%
% Out-of-State 8% 15%

Campus

 OC Comets SAU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than OC Comets based on total student enrollment (2,390 students vs. 973 students)

OC Comets vs. SAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OC Comets or SAU?

  • Olivet College is 2.4% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($32,694.00 vs. $31,940.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at OC Comets than Spring Arbor University ($32,694.00 vs. $31,940.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spring Arbor University than OC Comets ($21,720 vs. $23,533)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 8.4% lower than costs at Olivet College ($10,960 vs. $11,886)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Olivet College as Spring Arbor University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olivet College students is 5% larger than aid received Spring Arbor University ($22,602 vs. $21,522)

OC Comets vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 142 points higher than at OC Comets (931)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at OC Comets (20)
  • OC Comets has a higher acceptance rate (97.1%) than SAU (37.3%)

OC Comets vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OC Comets or SAU? 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 SAU and OC Comets.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Olivet College (56% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Spring Arbor University earn on average $3,300 more per year than OC Comets graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $39,300)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $2,957 lower median federal student loan debt than OC Comets graduates. ($24,043 vs. $27,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than OC Comets graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More SAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OC Comets students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 53%)

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