Sweet Briar College vs. SPU

Should I go to Sweet Briar College or Seattle Pacific University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Sweet Briar College or SPU 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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Sweet Briar College vs. Seattle Pacific University comparison
Sweet Briar College Seattle Pacific University College 3 College 4
Seattle Pacific University
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Overview

Sweet Briar College SPU
Location Sweet Briar, VA Seattle, WA
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 464 2,659
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #246
Religious Affiliation - Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sbc.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Sweet Briar College SPU
Tuition (In State) $23,730 $37,965
Tuition (Out of State) $23,730 $37,965
Room & Board $14,720 $15,498
Avg Net Price $25,598 $26,155
Avg Grant Aid $15,880 $28,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

Sweet Briar College SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,136 2,806
Admitted 815 2,556
Acceptance Rate 71.7% 91.1%
Enrolled % 16.9% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 20/28
SAT Range 1100/1310 1050/1320
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 Jul 11, 2026

Academics

Sweet Briar College SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Sweet Briar College SPU
Graduation Rate 70% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $279 $264

Diversity

Sweet Briar College SPU
% Men 0% 6%
% Women 0% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 61%
% Black 9% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 10%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Sweet Briar College SPU
% In-State 43% 71%
% Out-of-State 49% 26%

Campus

Sweet Briar College SPU
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

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (2,659 students vs. 464 students)

Sweet Briar College vs. SPU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sweet Briar College or SPU?

  • Seattle Pacific University is 60% more expensive to attend than Sweet Briar College for in-state tuition ($37,965.00 vs. $23,730.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60% higher at SPU than Sweet Briar College ($37,965.00 vs. $23,730.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sweet Briar College than SPU ($25,598 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sweet Briar College are 5.3% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($14,720 vs. $15,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sweet Briar College than Seattle Pacific University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 76.8% larger than aid received Sweet Briar College ($28,070 vs. $15,880)

Sweet Briar College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 47 points higher than at Sweet Briar College (1098)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Sweet Briar College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Sweet Briar College students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at SPU (3.53)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Sweet Briar College (71.7%)

Sweet Briar College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Sweet Briar College or SPU? 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 SPU and Sweet Briar College.

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than Sweet Briar College (74% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $8,700 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $41,700)
  • Seattle Pacific University students graduate with a $1,397 lower median federal student loan debt than Sweet Briar College graduates. ($25,603 vs. $27,000)
  • SPU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Sweet Briar College graduates. ($264 vs. $279)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sweet Briar College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 72%)

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