Central College vs. USD

Should I go to Central College or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College or USD 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. University of South Dakota comparison
Central College University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
Central College University of South Dakota
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Overview

Central College USD
Location Pella, IA Vermillion, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,169 9,856
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #597
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College USD
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $11,283
Room & Board $10,860 $8,224
Avg Net Price $23,303 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

Central College USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 4,480
Admitted 1,561 4,456
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 99.5%
Enrolled % 22.5% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/25
SAT Range 1040/1218 1020/1300
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 USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Central College USD
Graduation Rate 63% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Central College USD
% Men 52% 37%
% Women 48% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 85%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Central College USD
% In-State 73% 54%
% Out-of-State 26% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (9,856 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or USD?

  • Central College is 154.7% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($19,800.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.5% higher at Central College than University of South Dakota ($19,800.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Central College ($18,378 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 32.1% lower than costs at Central College ($8,224 vs. $10,860)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central College students is 74.4% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($10,999 vs. $6,308)

Central College vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 19 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Central College students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than University of South Dakota (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $200 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $48,000)
  • University of South Dakota students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)

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