William Carey University vs. SPU

Should I go to William Carey University or Seattle Pacific University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if William Carey University or SPU 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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William Carey University vs. Seattle Pacific University comparison
William Carey University Seattle Pacific University College 3 College 4
William Carey University Seattle Pacific University
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Overview

William Carey University SPU
Location Hattiesburg, MS Seattle, WA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 5,662 3,118
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #435 #270
Religious Affiliation Baptist Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmcarey.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Carey University SPU
Tuition (In State) $13,500 $36,504
Tuition (Out of State) $13,500 $36,504
Room & Board $7,463 $14,409
Avg Net Price $15,271 $26,549
Avg Grant Aid $13,331 $25,359
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

William Carey University SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 517 3,895
Admitted 277 3,533
Acceptance Rate 53.6% 90.7%
Enrolled % 64.3% 15.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/29 20/27
SAT Range 1050/1320 1080/1350
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 11, 2025

Academics

William Carey University SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

William Carey University SPU
Graduation Rate 51% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,900 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,192 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $208 $264

Diversity

William Carey University SPU
% Men 33% 31%
% Women 67% 69%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 61%
% Black 31% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 8%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

William Carey University SPU
% In-State 69% 71%
% Out-of-State 22% 26%

Campus

William Carey University SPU
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

  • William Carey University is larger than than SPU based on total student enrollment (5,662 students vs. 3,118 students)

William Carey University vs. SPU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Carey University or SPU?

  • Seattle Pacific University is 170.4% more expensive to attend than William Carey University for in-state tuition ($36,504.00 vs. $13,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 170.4% higher at SPU than William Carey University ($36,504.00 vs. $13,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Carey University than SPU ($15,271 vs. $26,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Carey University are 93.1% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($7,463 vs. $14,409)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Carey University than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 90.2% larger than aid received William Carey University ($25,359 vs. $13,331)

William Carey University vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, William Carey University or SPU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SPU or William Carey University .

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 74 points higher than at William Carey University (1071)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at William Carey University (24)
  • Accepted freshman SPU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at William Carey University (3.46)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than William Carey University (53.6%)

William Carey University vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Carey University or SPU? 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 SPU and William Carey University.

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than William Carey University (74% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $9,500 more per year than William Carey University graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $40,900)
  • William Carey University students graduate with a $5,411 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($20,192 vs. $25,603)
  • William Carey University graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($208 vs. $264)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Carey University students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 47%)

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