ATU vs. Friends University

Should I go to Arkansas Tech University or Friends University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ATU or Friends University 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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Arkansas Tech University vs. Friends University comparison
Arkansas Tech University Friends University College 3 College 4
Arkansas Tech University
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Overview

ATU Friends University
Location Russellville, AR Wichita, KS
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 9,445 1,724
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #927 #723
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu friends.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ATU Friends University
Tuition (In State) $5,820 $31,172
Tuition (Out of State) $11,640 $31,172
Room & Board $9,157 $8,326
Avg Net Price $12,016 $23,720
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $19,570
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

ATU Friends University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,762 1,620
Admitted 5,439 1,025
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 63.3%
Enrolled % 26.7% 25.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 19/26
SAT Range 990/1180 950/1181
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

ATU Friends University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (62%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)

Outcomes

ATU Friends University
Graduation Rate 43% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $24,512
Median Loan Payment $183 $253

Diversity

ATU Friends University
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 68%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

ATU Friends University
% In-State 94% 46%
% Out-of-State 5% 50%

Campus

ATU Friends University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than Friends University based on total student enrollment (9,445 students vs. 1,724 students)

ATU vs. Friends University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or Friends University?

  • Friends University is 435.6% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($31,172.00 vs. $5,820.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 167.8% higher at Friends University than Arkansas Tech University ($31,172.00 vs. $11,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arkansas Tech University than Friends University ($12,016 vs. $23,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Friends University are 10% lower than costs at Arkansas Tech University ($8,326 vs. $9,157)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Friends University than Arkansas Tech University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Friends University students is 131.9% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($19,570 vs. $8,440)

ATU vs. Friends University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Friends University students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at ATU (3.37)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than Friends University (63.3%)

ATU vs. Friends University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU or Friends University? 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 Friends University and ATU.

  • The graduation rate at ATU is higher than Friends University (43% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Friends University earn on average $9,400 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($46,500 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $6,762 lower median federal student loan debt than Friends University graduates. ($17,750 vs. $24,512)
  • ATU graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Friends University graduates. ($183 vs. $253)
  • More Friends University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 51%)

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