Central College vs. Luther- Norse

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

Central College Luther- Norse
Location Pella, IA Decorah, IA
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,169 1,610
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #336
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu luther.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College Luther- Norse
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $47,510
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $47,510
Room & Board $10,860 $10,670
Avg Net Price $23,303 $25,734
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $35,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Central College Luther- Norse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 2,188
Admitted 1,561 1,648
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 75.3%
Enrolled % 22.5% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 22/29
SAT Range 1040/1218 1075/1330
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

Academics

Central College Luther- Norse
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)

Outcomes

Central College Luther- Norse
Graduation Rate 63% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Central College Luther- Norse
% Men 52% 45%
% Women 48% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 84%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Central College Luther- Norse
% In-State 73% 26%
% Out-of-State 26% 60%

Campus

Central College Luther- Norse
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

  • Luther College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,610 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. Luther- Norse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or Luther- Norse?

  • Luther College is 139.9% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($47,510.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 139.9% higher at Luther- Norse than Central College ($47,510.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than Luther- Norse ($23,303 vs. $25,734)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 1.8% lower than costs at Central College ($10,670 vs. $10,860)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Luther College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 222.2% larger than aid received Central College ($35,441 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. Luther- Norse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 111 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • Central College has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Luther- Norse (75.3%)

Central College vs. Luther- Norse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College or Luther- Norse? 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 Luther- Norse and Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Luther- Norse is higher than Central College (69% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Luther College earn on average $2,000 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $48,000)
  • Luther College and Central College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Luther College and Central College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Luther- Norse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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