Piedmont College vs. Central College

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

Piedmont College Central College
Location Demorest, GA Pella, IA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,843 1,169
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #519
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu central.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College Central College
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $19,800
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $19,800
Room & Board $11,562 $10,860
Avg Net Price $18,792 $23,303
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $10,999
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Piedmont College Central College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 1,970
Admitted 1,500 1,561
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 79.2%
Enrolled % 20.1% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/26
SAT Range 990/1200 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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College Central College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College Central College
Graduation Rate 46% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $279

Diversity

Piedmont College Central College
% Men 28% 52%
% Women 72% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 87%
% Black 9% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 10% 3%

Students

Piedmont College Central College
% In-State 85% 73%
% Out-of-State 14% 26%

Campus

Piedmont College 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

  • Piedmont College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,843 students vs. 1,169 students)

Piedmont College vs. Central College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or Central College?

  • Piedmont College is 46.3% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.3% higher at Piedmont College than Central College ($28,970.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Piedmont College than Central College ($18,792 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 6.5% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($10,860 vs. $11,562)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College as Central College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 118.8% larger than aid received Central College ($24,065 vs. $10,999)

Piedmont College vs. Central College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 73 points higher than at Piedmont College (995)
  • Incoming Central College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Piedmont College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • Central College has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. Central College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College 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 Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Piedmont College (63% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $7,000 more per year than Piedmont College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $41,000)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $3,264 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($23,736 vs. $27,000)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($245 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 44%)

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