Spelman vs. AU

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

 Spelman AU
Location Atlanta, GA Anderson, SC
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 3,633 4,325
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #324 #759
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spelman.edu andersonuniversity.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Spelman AU
Tuition (In State) $26,915 $32,710
Tuition (Out of State) $26,915 $32,710
Room & Board $16,293 $12,290
Avg Net Price $37,403 $22,222
Avg Grant Aid $11,994 $25,586
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

 Spelman AU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,610 4,732
Admitted 3,617 2,499
Acceptance Rate 34.1% 52.8%
Enrolled % 20.1% 34%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.72
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 21/27 22/28
SAT Range 1060/1270 1090/1290
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Spelman AU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Psychology (20%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Education (37%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Spelman AU
Graduation Rate 77% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,300 $37,500
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,862
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Spelman AU
% Men 7% 9%
% Women 73% 12%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 83%
% Black 96% 8%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Spelman AU
% In-State 21% 68%
% Out-of-State 78% 31%

Campus

 Spelman AU
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

  • Anderson University is larger than than Spelman based on total student enrollment (4,325 students vs. 3,633 students)

Spelman vs. AU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Spelman or AU?

  • Anderson University is 21.5% more expensive to attend than Spelman for in-state tuition ($32,710.00 vs. $26,915.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.5% higher at AU than Spelman College ($32,710.00 vs. $26,915.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Anderson University than Spelman ($22,222 vs. $37,403)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Anderson University are 32.6% lower than costs at Spelman College ($12,290 vs. $16,293)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Anderson University than Spelman College (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Anderson University students is 113.3% larger than aid received Spelman College ($25,586 vs. $11,994)

Spelman vs. AU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Anderson University (1078) is 63 points higher than at Spelman (1015)
  • Incoming AU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Spelman (22)
  • Accepted freshman Spelman students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at AU (3.72)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (52.8%) than Spelman (34.1%)

Spelman vs. AU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Spelman or AU? 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 AU and Spelman.

  • The graduation rate at Spelman is higher than Anderson University (77% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Spelman College earn on average $13,800 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($51,300 vs. $37,500)
  • Anderson University students graduate with a $138 lower median federal student loan debt than Spelman graduates. ($26,862 vs. $27,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Spelman graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spelman students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 47%)

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