Wheaton College vs. Oberlin

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

Wheaton College Oberlin
Location Wheaton, IL Oberlin, OH
Setting Large Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,885 2,992
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #148
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $61,106
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $61,106
Room & Board $11,690 $18,390
Avg Net Price $29,961 $46,462
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $35,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Wheaton College Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 11,066
Admitted 1,674 3,859
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 34.9%
Enrolled % 30.1% 22.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 28/33 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1430 1360/1530
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Wheaton College Oberlin
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 (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Oberlin
Graduation Rate 87% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $232 $274

Diversity

Wheaton College Oberlin
% Men 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 68%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 3% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Wheaton College Oberlin
% In-State 23% 6%
% Out-of-State 70% 84%

Campus

Wheaton College Oberlin
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

  • Oberlin College is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (2,992 students vs. 2,885 students)

Wheaton College vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Oberlin?

  • Oberlin College is 45.5% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($61,106.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.5% higher at Oberlin than Wheaton College ($61,106.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Oberlin ($29,961 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 57.3% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($11,690 vs. $18,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Oberlin College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oberlin College students is 44.4% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($35,040 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oberlin College (1357) is 43 points higher than at Wheaton College (1314)
  • Incoming Oberlin students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wheaton College (30)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Oberlin (34.9%)

Wheaton College vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Oberlin is higher than Wheaton College (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $10,400 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $43,900)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $4,079 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,579)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($232 vs. $274)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin 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/