Wheaton College vs. MCAD

Should I go to Wheaton College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or MCAD 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. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Wheaton College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Wheaton College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Overview

 Wheaton College MCAD
Location Wheaton, IL Minneapolis, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,885 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College MCAD
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $42,110
Room & Board $11,690 $7,290
Avg Net Price $29,961 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Wheaton College MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 668
Admitted 1,674 380
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 56.9%
Enrolled % 30.1% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 19/27
SAT Range 1250/1430 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Wheaton College MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College MCAD
Graduation Rate 87% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $232 $266

Diversity

 Wheaton College MCAD
% Men 43% 31%
% Women 57% 69%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 59%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 16%

Students

 Wheaton College MCAD
% In-State 23% 61%
% Out-of-State 70% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wheaton College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (2,885 students vs. 821 students)

Wheaton College vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or MCAD?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at MCAD than Wheaton College ($42,110.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Wheaton College ($28,443 vs. $29,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 60.4% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($7,290 vs. $11,690)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College as Minneapolis College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 7.2% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($26,025 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 218 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than MCAD (56.9%)

Wheaton College vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or MCAD? 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 MCAD and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $12,800 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $41,500)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,750)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($232 vs. $266)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 74%)

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