Central vs. SCU

Deciding between University of Central Missouri and Southwestern Christian University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Central Missouri

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Central Warrensburg, MO
  • SCU Bethany, OK
  • Setting
  • Central Rural Fringe
  • SCU Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Central 12,857
  • SCU 399
  • Type
  • Central Public 4 Year
  • SCU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Central #723
  • SCU
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Central -
  • SCU Pentecostal Holiness Church
  • Status
  • Central Non-profit
  • SCU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Central
  • SCU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Central $10,050
  • SCU $21,900
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Central $18,600
  • SCU $21,900
  • Room & Board
  • Central $10,740
  • SCU $10,100
  • Average Net Price
  • Central $14,943
  • SCU $20,528
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Central $7,811
  • SCU $12,784
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Central 96%
  • SCU 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Central 5,647
  • SCU -
  • Admitted
  • Central 3,603
  • SCU -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Central 63.8%
  • SCU
  • Enrolled
  • Central 28.6%
  • SCU
  • Typical SAT score
  • Central
  • SCU
  • Typical ACT score
  • Central 22
  • SCU
  • Average High School GPA
  • Central 3.68
  • SCU 3.22
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Central A-
  • SCU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Central Easy
  • SCU Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Central Low
  • SCU
  • ACT Range
  • Central 19/25
  • SCU
  • SAT Range
  • Central
  • SCU
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Central Test optional
  • SCU Not reported
  • Application Deadline
  • Central
  • SCU

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Central 18:1
  • SCU 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Central
    • Education (21%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • SCU
    • Human Services (34%)
    • Business (27%)
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies (16%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
    • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Central 50%
  • SCU 28%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Central $41,500
  • SCU $27,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Central 59%
  • SCU 38%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Central $22,441
  • SCU $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Central $232
  • SCU $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Central 46%
  • SCU 61%
  • % Women
  • Central 54%
  • SCU 39%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Central Low
  • SCU High
  • HBCU
  • Central No
  • SCU No
  • % White
  • Central 77%
  • SCU 44%
  • % Asian
  • Central 1%
  • SCU 1%
  • % Black
  • Central 11%
  • SCU 25%
  • % Hispanic
  • Central 4%
  • SCU 8%
  • % Native American
  • Central 0%
  • SCU 4%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Central 0%
  • SCU 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Central 4%
  • SCU 3%
  • % International
  • Central 2%
  • SCU 10%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Central 1%
  • SCU 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Central 82%
  • SCU 72%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Central 15%
  • SCU 15%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Central Yes
  • SCU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Central No
  • SCU No
  • Meal Plan
  • Central Yes
  • SCU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Central Yes
  • SCU Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Central Yes
  • SCU No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO with Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, OK on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Central Missouri is larger than SCU based on total student enrollment (12,857 students vs. 399 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Central Missouri is located in Warrensburg, MO (Rural Fringe setting); Southwestern Christian University is in Bethany, OK (Large Suburban setting).
  • University of Central Missouri is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southwestern Christian University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Central Missouri 18:1; Southwestern Christian University 13:1.

Central vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central or SCU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Missouri than SCU ($14,943 vs. $20,528).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Christian University are 6% lower than at University of Central Missouri ($10,100 vs. $10,740).
  • Southwestern Christian University is 117.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Central (about $11,850 more per year; $21,900.00 vs. $10,050.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 17.7% higher at SCU than at University of Central Missouri (about $3,300 more per year; $21,900.00 vs. $18,600.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Christian University than at University of Central Missouri (100% vs. 96%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Christian University students is 63.7% larger than aid received by University of Central Missouri students ($12,784 vs. $7,811).

Central vs. SCU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Central or SCU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SCU and Central.

  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Central Missouri 19/25.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Central - Test optional; SCU - Not reported.
  • Accepted freshman Central students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at SCU (3.22).

Central vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Central and SCU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of Central Missouri's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than Southwestern Christian University's (28%).
  • Graduates from University of Central Missouri earn a median of about $14,100 more per year than SCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,500 vs. $27,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Central Missouri graduates have a $4,559 lower median loan debt than SCU graduates ($22,441 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Central graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SCU graduates ($232 vs. $279).
  • More Central graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 38%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.