Central College vs. ISU

Should I go to Central College or Iowa State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College or ISU 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. Iowa State University comparison
Central College Iowa State University College 3 College 4
Central College Iowa State University
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Overview

Central College ISU
Location Pella, IA Ames, IA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,169 29,969
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #352
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College ISU
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $25,162
Room & Board $10,860 $9,358
Avg Net Price $23,303 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 80%

Admission

Central College ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 21,919
Admitted 1,561 19,776
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 90.2%
Enrolled % 22.5% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 21/28
SAT Range 1040/1218 1090/1350
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 ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Central College ISU
Graduation Rate 63% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $279 $246

Diversity

Central College ISU
% Men 52% 55%
% Women 48% 45%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 76%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Central College ISU
% In-State 73% 52%
% Out-of-State 26% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or ISU?

  • Central College is 128.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($19,800.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.1% higher at ISU than Central College ($25,162.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Central College ($15,310 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 16.1% lower than costs at Central College ($9,358 vs. $10,860)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 0.4% larger than aid received Central College ($11,043 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 74 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College or ISU? 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 ISU and Central College.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Central College (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $5,700 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,000)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $3,132 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($23,868 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

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