OBU vs. Southwestern College

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

 OBU Southwestern College
Location Arkadelphia, AR Winfield, KS
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,815 1,139
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #461 #517
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website obu.edu sckans.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OBU Southwestern College
Tuition (In State) $31,780 $38,330
Tuition (Out of State) $31,780 $38,330
Room & Board $9,240 $11,356
Avg Net Price $22,087 $27,337
Avg Grant Aid $23,073 $26,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 OBU Southwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,138 1,333
Admitted 1,465 866
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 65%
Enrolled % 32% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/28 17/22
SAT Range 1060/1290 900/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2026

Academics

 OBU Southwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (4%)

Outcomes

 OBU Southwestern College
Graduation Rate 63% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $53,100
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $232 $266

Diversity

 OBU Southwestern College
% Men 1% 6%
% Women 4% 3%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 85% 54%
% Black 7% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 15%

Students

 OBU Southwestern College
% In-State 61% 28%
% Out-of-State 38% 70%

Campus

 OBU Southwestern College
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

  • Ouachita Baptist University is larger than than Southwestern College based on total student enrollment (1,815 students vs. 1,139 students)

OBU vs. Southwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OBU or Southwestern College?

  • Southwestern College is 20.6% more expensive to attend than OBU for in-state tuition ($38,330.00 vs. $31,780.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.6% higher at Southwestern College than Ouachita Baptist University ($38,330.00 vs. $31,780.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ouachita Baptist University than Southwestern College ($22,087 vs. $27,337)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ouachita Baptist University are 22.9% lower than costs at Southwestern College ($9,240 vs. $11,356)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Ouachita Baptist University as Southwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern College students is 14.6% larger than aid received Ouachita Baptist University ($26,433 vs. $23,073)

OBU vs. Southwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ouachita Baptist University (1120) is 121 points higher than at Southwestern College (999)
  • Incoming OBU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Southwestern College (22)
  • Accepted freshman OBU students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Southwestern College (3.33)
  • OBU has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than Southwestern College (65%)

OBU vs. Southwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at OBU is higher than Southwestern College (63% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern College earn on average $9,700 more per year than OBU graduates after ten years. ($53,100 vs. $43,400)
  • Ouachita Baptist University students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwestern College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,750)
  • OBU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Southwestern College graduates. ($232 vs. $266)
  • More OBU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwestern College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 57%)

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