Wartburg College vs. SAU

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

 Wartburg College SAU
Location Waverly, IA Spring Arbor, MI
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,444 2,396
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #654 #501
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wartburg.edu arbor.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wartburg College SAU
Tuition (In State) $46,740 $31,020
Tuition (Out of State) $46,740 $31,020
Room & Board $10,280 $10,652
Avg Net Price $23,683 $22,375
Avg Grant Aid $36,157 $20,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

 Wartburg College SAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,779 2,312
Admitted 2,708 1,094
Acceptance Rate 97.4% 47.3%
Enrolled % 13% 20.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 970/1120 970/1135
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

Academics

 Wartburg College SAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

 Wartburg College SAU
Graduation Rate 63% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,100 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,043
Median Loan Payment $279 $248

Diversity

 Wartburg College SAU
% Men 49% 23%
% Women 51% 77%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 77%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 Wartburg College SAU
% In-State 70% 83%
% Out-of-State 27% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than Wartburg College based on total student enrollment (2,396 students vs. 1,444 students)

Wartburg College vs. SAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wartburg College or SAU?

  • Wartburg College is 50.7% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($46,740.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.7% higher at Wartburg College than Spring Arbor University ($46,740.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spring Arbor University than Wartburg College ($22,375 vs. $23,683)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 3.6% lower than costs at Spring Arbor University ($10,280 vs. $10,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than Wartburg College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 74.9% larger than aid received Spring Arbor University ($36,157 vs. $20,677)

Wartburg College vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 32 points higher than at SAU (1073)
  • Incoming Wartburg College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Wartburg College (3.48)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than SAU (47.3%)

Wartburg College vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wartburg College or SAU? 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 SAU and Wartburg College.

  • The graduation rate at Wartburg College is higher than Spring Arbor University (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $5,500 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $42,600)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $2,957 lower median federal student loan debt than Wartburg College graduates. ($24,043 vs. $27,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Wartburg College graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 58%)

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