Ripon College vs. UW-Eau Claire

Should I go to Ripon College or University of Wisconsin Eau Claire? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ripon College or UW-Eau Claire 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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Ripon College vs. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire comparison
Ripon College University of Wisconsin Eau Claire College 3 College 4
Ripon College University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
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Overview

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
Location Ripon, WI Eau Claire, WI
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 734 9,991
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #563
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ripon.edu uwec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
Tuition (In State) $50,400 $7,645
Tuition (Out of State) $50,400 $16,884
Room & Board $10,190 $9,200
Avg Net Price $22,557 $15,323
Avg Grant Aid $38,989 $3,800
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 60%

Admission

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,797 10,315
Admitted 1,508 7,848
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 76.1%
Enrolled % 12.9% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 21/26
SAT Range 1000/1190
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

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • History (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
Graduation Rate 70% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $289 $240

Diversity

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
% Men 1% 3%
% Women 1% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 89%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
% In-State 63% 67%
% Out-of-State 35% 32%

Campus

Ripon College UW-Eau Claire
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than Ripon College based on total student enrollment (9,991 students vs. 734 students)

Ripon College vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ripon College or UW-Eau Claire?

  • Ripon College is 559.3% more expensive to attend than UW-Eau Claire for in-state tuition ($50,400.00 vs. $7,645.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 198.5% higher at Ripon College than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($50,400.00 vs. $16,884.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire than Ripon College ($15,323 vs. $22,557)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 10.8% lower than costs at Ripon College ($9,200 vs. $10,190)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ripon College than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ripon College students is 926% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($38,989 vs. $3,800)

Ripon College vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (1110) is 5 points higher than at Ripon College (1105)
  • Incoming Ripon College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at UW-Eau Claire (24)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Ripon College (3.41)
  • Ripon College has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than UW-Eau Claire (76.1%)

Ripon College vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ripon College or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and Ripon College.

  • The graduation rate at Ripon College is higher than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (70% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Ripon College earn on average $1,300 more per year than UW-Eau Claire graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $47,900)
  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Ripon College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $28,000)
  • UW-Eau Claire graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Ripon College graduates. ($240 vs. $289)
  • More Ripon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UW-Eau Claire students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 76%)

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