Centra College vs. RU

Should I go to Centra College or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Centra College or RU 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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Centra College vs. Radford University comparison
Centra College Radford University College 3 College 4
Radford University
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Overview

Centra College RU
Location Lynchburg, VA Radford, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 227 7,718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centrahealth.com radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Centra College RU
Tuition (In State) $9,240 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $9,240 $20,246
Room & Board $9,406 $10,567
Avg Net Price $28,418 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $6,495 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Centra College RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15 11,442
Admitted 6 10,680
Acceptance Rate 40% 93.3%
Enrolled % 50% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA - 3.31
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/23
SAT Range 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Centra College RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Centra College RU
Graduation Rate - 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,042 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $124 $237

Diversity

Centra College RU
% Men 13% 33%
% Women 87% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 71%
% Black 35% 13%
% Hispanic 0% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Centra College RU
% In-State 100% 89%
% Out-of-State 0% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Centra College based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 227 students)

Centra College vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centra College or RU?

  • Centra College is 13.3% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($9,240.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 119.1% higher at RU than Centra College ($20,246.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Centra College ($17,105 vs. $28,418)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Centra College are 12.3% lower than costs at Radford University ($9,406 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centra College than Radford University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 49.9% larger than aid received Centra College ($9,733 vs. $6,495)

Centra College vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Centra College (40%)

Centra College vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centra College or RU? 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 RU and Centra College.

  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $2,600 more per year than Centra College graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $44,800)
  • Centra College students graduate with a $10,958 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($12,042 vs. $23,000)
  • Centra College graduates are paying $113 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($124 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Centra College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 66%)

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