Central College vs. St. Kate's

Should I go to Central College or St Catherine University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College or St. Kate's 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. St Catherine University comparison
Central College St Catherine University College 3 College 4
Central College St Catherine University
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Overview

 Central College St. Kate's
Location Pella, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,169 3,577
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #276
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu stkate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central College St. Kate's
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $46,976
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $46,976
Room & Board $10,860 $9,900
Avg Net Price $23,303 $19,976
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $37,012
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Central College St. Kate's
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 1,512
Admitted 1,561 1,399
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 92.5%
Enrolled % 22.5% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/26
SAT Range 1040/1218 1155/1450
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 St. Kate's
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Health Professions (51%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Human Services (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Central College St. Kate's
Graduation Rate 63% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $50,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $289

Diversity

 Central College St. Kate's
% Men 52% 7%
% Women 48% 93%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 64%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Central College St. Kate's
% In-State 73% 80%
% Out-of-State 26% 17%

Campus

 Central College St. Kate's
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

  • St Catherine University is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (3,577 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. St. Kate's Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or St. Kate's?

  • St Catherine University is 137.3% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($46,976.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.3% higher at St. Kate's than Central College ($46,976.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Catherine University than Central College ($19,976 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Catherine University are 9.7% lower than costs at Central College ($9,900 vs. $10,860)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as St Catherine University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Catherine University students is 236.5% larger than aid received Central College ($37,012 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. St. Kate's Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 36 points higher than at St. Kate's (1032)
  • Incoming Central College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at St. Kate's (22)
  • Accepted freshman St. Kate's students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • St. Kate's has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. St. Kate's Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College or St. Kate's? 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 St. Kate's and Central College.

  • The graduation rate at St. Kate's is higher than Central College (65% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from St Catherine University earn on average $2,100 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($50,100 vs. $48,000)
  • Central College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Kate's graduates. ($27,000 vs. $28,000)
  • Central College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than St. Kate's graduates. ($279 vs. $289)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Kate's students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

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