VCM vs. Central College

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Central College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or Central College 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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VanderCook College of Music vs. Central College comparison
VanderCook College of Music Central College College 3 College 4
Central College
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Overview

VCM Central College
Location Chicago, IL Pella, IA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 263 1,169
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519
Religious Affiliation - Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu central.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM Central College
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $19,800
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $19,800
Room & Board $7,500 $10,860
Avg Net Price $12,436 $23,303
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $10,999
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

VCM Central College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 1,970
Admitted 22 1,561
Acceptance Rate 100% 79.2%
Enrolled % 50% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.52
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 19/26
SAT Range 890/1160 1040/1218
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

VCM Central College
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

VCM Central College
Graduation Rate 45% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

VCM Central College
% Men 43% 52%
% Women 57% 48%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 87%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 21% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

VCM Central College
% In-State 58% 73%
% Out-of-State 42% 26%

Campus

VCM Central College
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

  • Central College is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (1,169 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. Central College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or Central College?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 39.7% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.7% higher at VCM than Central College ($27,670.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than Central College ($12,436 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 44.8% lower than costs at Central College ($7,500 vs. $10,860)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music as Central College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 153.5% larger than aid received Central College ($27,884 vs. $10,999)

VCM vs. Central College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 39 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Central College (79.2%)

VCM vs. Central College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or Central College? 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 Central College and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than VanderCook College of Music (63% vs. 45%)
  • Central College and VCM graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Central College and VCM graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCM students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 66%)

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