Piedmont College vs. SWU

Should I go to Piedmont College or Southern Wesleyan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Piedmont College or SWU 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. Southern Wesleyan University comparison
Piedmont College Southern Wesleyan University College 3 College 4
Piedmont College
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Overview

Piedmont College SWU
Location Demorest, GA Central, SC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,843 1,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #826
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu edu.
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College SWU
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $26,520
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $26,520
Room & Board $11,562 $9,650
Avg Net Price $18,792 $17,639
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $19,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Piedmont College SWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 846
Admitted 1,500 433
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 51.2%
Enrolled % 20.1% 34.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/23
SAT Range 990/1200 1013/1160
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 SWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (66%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College SWU
Graduation Rate 46% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $279

Diversity

Piedmont College SWU
% Men 28% 33%
% Women 72% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 63%
% Black 9% 28%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Piedmont College SWU
% In-State 85% 58%
% Out-of-State 14% 42%

Campus

Piedmont College SWU
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

  • Piedmont College is larger than than SWU based on total student enrollment (1,843 students vs. 1,175 students)

Piedmont College vs. SWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or SWU?

  • Piedmont College is 9.2% more expensive to attend than SWU for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $26,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Piedmont College than Southern Wesleyan University ($28,970.00 vs. $26,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Wesleyan University than Piedmont College ($17,639 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Wesleyan University are 19.8% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($9,650 vs. $11,562)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College as Southern Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 22.6% larger than aid received Southern Wesleyan University ($24,065 vs. $19,636)

Piedmont College vs. SWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SWU students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Piedmont College (3.54)
  • Piedmont College has a higher acceptance rate (64.4%) than SWU (51.2%)

Piedmont College vs. SWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or SWU? 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 SWU and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than Southern Wesleyan University (46% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Southern Wesleyan University earn on average $3,800 more per year than Piedmont College graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $41,000)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $3,264 lower median federal student loan debt than SWU graduates. ($23,736 vs. $27,000)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than SWU graduates. ($245 vs. $279)
  • More SWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 44%)

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