SAU vs. LRC

Should I go to Spring Arbor University or La Roche College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SAU or LRC 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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Spring Arbor University vs. La Roche College comparison
Spring Arbor University La Roche College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 SAU LRC
Location Spring Arbor, MI Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,396 2,068
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #501 #796
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu laroche.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SAU LRC
Tuition (In State) $31,020 $31,334
Tuition (Out of State) $31,020 $31,334
Room & Board $10,652 $12,886
Avg Net Price $22,375 $24,233
Avg Grant Aid $20,677 $20,948
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

 SAU LRC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,312 3,222
Admitted 1,094 3,137
Acceptance Rate 47.3% 97.4%
Enrolled % 20.8% 4.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 970/1135 970/1170
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, 2025

Academics

 SAU LRC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 SAU LRC
Graduation Rate 56% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $268

Diversity

 SAU LRC
% Men 23% 37%
% Women 77% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 62%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 16%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

 SAU LRC
% In-State 83% 75%
% Out-of-State 13% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than LRC based on total student enrollment (2,396 students vs. 2,068 students)

SAU vs. LRC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or LRC?

  • La Roche College is 1% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($31,334.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1% higher at LRC than Spring Arbor University ($31,334.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spring Arbor University than LRC ($22,375 vs. $24,233)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 21% lower than costs at La Roche College ($10,652 vs. $12,886)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than La Roche College (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by La Roche College students is 1.3% larger than aid received Spring Arbor University ($20,948 vs. $20,677)

SAU vs. LRC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 134 points higher than at LRC (939)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at LRC (20)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at LRC (3.2)
  • LRC has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than SAU (47.3%)

SAU vs. LRC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU or LRC? 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 LRC and SAU.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than La Roche College (56% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from La Roche College earn on average $1,700 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($44,300 vs. $42,600)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $1,957 lower median federal student loan debt than LRC graduates. ($24,043 vs. $26,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than LRC graduates. ($248 vs. $268)
  • More LRC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 58%)

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