OBU vs. Central College

Should I go to Ouachita Baptist University or Central College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OBU or Central 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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Ouachita Baptist University vs. Central College comparison
Ouachita Baptist University Central College College 3 College 4
Ouachita Baptist University Central College
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Overview

 OBU Central College
Location Arkadelphia, AR Pella, IA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,784 1,169
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #474 #519
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website obu.edu central.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OBU Central College
Tuition (In State) $30,500 $19,800
Tuition (Out of State) $30,500 $19,800
Room & Board $8,800 $10,860
Avg Net Price $21,677 $23,303
Avg Grant Aid $22,181 $10,999
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 OBU Central College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,063 1,970
Admitted 1,492 1,561
Acceptance Rate 72.3% 79.2%
Enrolled % 29.8% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 19/26
SAT Range 1020/1200 1040/1218
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

Academics

 OBU Central College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 OBU Central College
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

 OBU Central College
% Men 41% 52%
% Women 59% 48%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 87%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 1%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 OBU Central College
% In-State 63% 73%
% Out-of-State 35% 26%

Campus

 OBU Central College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ouachita Baptist University is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,784 students vs. 1,169 students)

OBU vs. Central College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OBU or Central College?

  • Ouachita Baptist University is 54% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($30,500.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54% higher at OBU than Central College ($30,500.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ouachita Baptist University than Central College ($21,677 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ouachita Baptist University are 23.4% lower than costs at Central College ($8,800 vs. $10,860)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Ouachita Baptist University as Central College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ouachita Baptist University students is 101.7% larger than aid received Central College ($22,181 vs. $10,999)

OBU vs. Central College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ouachita Baptist University (1120) is 52 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming OBU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman OBU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • Central College has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than OBU (72.3%)

OBU vs. Central College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OBU or Central 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 Central College and OBU.

  • The graduation rate at OBU is the same as at Central College (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $4,600 more per year than OBU graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $43,400)
  • Ouachita Baptist University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • OBU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OBU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 71%)

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