Principia College vs. Eastern

Should I go to Principia College or Eastern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Principia College or Eastern 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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Principia College vs. Eastern Kentucky University comparison
Principia College Eastern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Eastern Kentucky University
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Overview

Principia College Eastern
Location Elsah, Illinois Richmond, KY
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 338 15,008
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #873
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website principiacollege.edu eku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Principia College Eastern
Tuition (In State) $32,250 $9,830
Tuition (Out of State) $32,250 $20,520
Room & Board $13,370 $11,735
Avg Net Price $14,904 $10,852
Avg Grant Aid $32,096 $11,460
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 98%

Admission

Principia College Eastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 268 17,082
Admitted 119 13,340
Acceptance Rate 44.4% 78.1%
Enrolled % 70.6% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/23 17/24
SAT Range 1040/1250 930/1190
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Principia College Eastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Principia College Eastern
Graduation Rate - 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments - 49%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $23,695
Median Loan Payment N/A $245

Diversity

Principia College Eastern
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 0% 11%
Racial Diversity - Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 0% 85%
% Black 0% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Principia College Eastern
% In-State 3% 92%
% Out-of-State 41% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than Principia College based on total student enrollment (15,008 students vs. 338 students)

Principia College vs. Eastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Principia College or Eastern?

  • Principia College is 228.1% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($32,250.00 vs. $9,830.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.2% higher at Principia College than Eastern Kentucky University ($32,250.00 vs. $20,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than Principia College ($10,852 vs. $14,904)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 13.9% lower than costs at Principia College ($11,735 vs. $13,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Principia College (98% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Principia College students is 180.1% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($32,096 vs. $11,460)

Principia College vs. Eastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Principia College (3.34)
  • Eastern has a higher acceptance rate (78.1%) than Principia College (44.4%)

Principia College vs. Eastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Principia College or Eastern? 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 Eastern and Principia College.

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