Spelman vs. Elon

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

Spelman Elon
Location Atlanta, GA Elon, NC
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 3,633 7,207
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #324 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spelman.edu elon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Spelman Elon
Tuition (In State) $26,915 $44,029
Tuition (Out of State) $26,915 $44,029
Room & Board $16,293 $14,478
Avg Net Price $37,403 $41,849
Avg Grant Aid $11,994 $17,523
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 69%

Admission

Spelman Elon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,610 18,791
Admitted 3,617 12,649
Acceptance Rate 34.1% 67.3%
Enrolled % 20.1% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 21/27 23/28
SAT Range 1060/1270 1143/1305
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 Jan 10, 2026

Academics

Spelman Elon
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Psychology (20%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Spelman Elon
Graduation Rate 77% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,300 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

Spelman Elon
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 73% 7%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 82%
% Black 96% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Spelman Elon
% In-State 21% 18%
% Out-of-State 78% 80%

Campus

Spelman Elon
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Elon University is larger than than Spelman based on total student enrollment (7,207 students vs. 3,633 students)

Spelman vs. Elon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Spelman or Elon?

  • Elon University is 63.6% more expensive to attend than Spelman for in-state tuition ($44,029.00 vs. $26,915.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.6% higher at Elon than Spelman College ($44,029.00 vs. $26,915.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spelman College than Elon ($37,403 vs. $41,849)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elon University are 12.5% lower than costs at Spelman College ($14,478 vs. $16,293)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spelman College than Elon University (96% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 46.1% larger than aid received Spelman College ($17,523 vs. $11,994)

Spelman vs. Elon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 196 points higher than at Spelman (1015)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Spelman (22)
  • Accepted freshman Spelman students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Elon (3.65)
  • Elon has a higher acceptance rate (67.3%) than Spelman (34.1%)

Spelman vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than Spelman College (82% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $4,900 more per year than Spelman graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $51,300)
  • Elon University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Spelman graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Elon graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Spelman graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spelman students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 47%)

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