Wheaton College vs. Hope College

Should I go to Wheaton College or Hope College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or Hope 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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Wheaton College vs. Hope College comparison
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Wheaton College Hope College
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Overview

 Wheaton College Hope College
Location Wheaton, IL Holland, MI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,885 3,251
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #275
Religious Affiliation Undenominational Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu hope.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College Hope College
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $37,990
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $37,990
Room & Board $11,690 $11,900
Avg Net Price $29,961 $25,800
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $24,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Wheaton College Hope College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 5,152
Admitted 1,674 4,145
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 80.5%
Enrolled % 30.1% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 28/33 24/31
SAT Range 1250/1430 1090/1330
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

 Wheaton College Hope College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College Hope College
Graduation Rate 87% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

 Wheaton College Hope College
% Men 43% 39%
% Women 57% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 Wheaton College Hope College
% In-State 23% 68%
% Out-of-State 70% 32%

Campus

 Wheaton College Hope 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

  • Hope College is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (3,251 students vs. 2,885 students)

Wheaton College vs. Hope College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Hope College?

  • Wheaton College is 10.5% more expensive to attend than Hope College for in-state tuition ($41,990.00 vs. $37,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.5% higher at Wheaton College than Hope College ($41,990.00 vs. $37,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hope College than Wheaton College ($25,800 vs. $29,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 1.8% lower than costs at Hope College ($11,690 vs. $11,900)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College as Hope College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hope College students is 2.5% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($24,880 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. Hope College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 109 points higher than at Hope College (1205)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Hope College (27)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Wheaton College (3.75)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Hope College (80.5%)

Wheaton College vs. Hope College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Hope 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 Hope College and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Hope College (87% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $6,800 more per year than Hope College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $47,500)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hope College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 82%)

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