SIUE vs. Cumberland College

Should I go to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville or University of the Cumberlands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SIUE or Cumberland 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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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville vs. University of the Cumberlands comparison
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville University of the Cumberlands College 3 College 4
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville University of the Cumberlands
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Overview

SIUE Cumberland College
Location Edwardsville, IL Williamsburg, KY
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 12,045 20,327
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #554 #933
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website siue.edu ucumberlands.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SIUE Cumberland College
Tuition (In State) $9,576 $9,875
Tuition (Out of State) $9,576 $9,875
Room & Board $10,562 $9,300
Avg Net Price $15,182 $11,555
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $13,109
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 100%

Admission

SIUE Cumberland College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,937 4,281
Admitted 8,688 3,056
Acceptance Rate 97.2% 71.4%
Enrolled % 18.4% 21.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.47
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 16/23
SAT Range 900/1160 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Aug 31, 2026

Academics

SIUE Cumberland College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

SIUE Cumberland College
Graduation Rate 52% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,430 $13,956
Median Loan Payment $221 $144

Diversity

SIUE Cumberland College
% Men 10% 34%
% Women 15% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 76%
% Black 15% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 10%

Students

SIUE Cumberland College
% In-State 98% 65%
% Out-of-State 2% 28%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of the Cumberlands is larger than than SIUE based on total student enrollment (20,327 students vs. 12,045 students)

SIUE vs. Cumberland College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SIUE or Cumberland College?

  • University of the Cumberlands is 3.1% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($9,875.00 vs. $9,576.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at Cumberland College than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($9,875.00 vs. $9,576.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the Cumberlands than SIUE ($11,555 vs. $15,182)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Cumberlands are 13.6% lower than costs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($9,300 vs. $10,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Cumberlands than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of the Cumberlands students is 32% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($13,109 vs. $9,934)

SIUE vs. Cumberland College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 48 points higher than at Cumberland College (1022)
  • Incoming SIUE students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cumberland College (22)
  • Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Cumberland College (3.47)
  • SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than Cumberland College (71.4%)

SIUE vs. Cumberland College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SIUE or Cumberland 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 Cumberland College and SIUE.

  • The graduation rate at SIUE is higher than University of the Cumberlands (52% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn on average $10,300 more per year than Cumberland College graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $36,700)
  • University of the Cumberlands students graduate with a $7,474 lower median federal student loan debt than SIUE graduates. ($13,956 vs. $21,430)
  • Cumberland College graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than SIUE graduates. ($144 vs. $221)
  • More SIUE graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cumberland College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 52%)

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