McPherson College vs. Ferrum College

Should I go to McPherson College or Ferrum College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if McPherson College or Ferrum College 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Guilford College AU Dominican College RU Bethel College-North Newton Southwestern College Virginia University of Lynchburg North Carolina Wesleyan College Longwood University
McPherson College vs. Ferrum College comparison
McPherson College Ferrum College College 3 College 4
Ferrum College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 McPherson College Ferrum College
Location McPherson, KS Ferrum, VA
Setting Remote Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 822 855
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcpherson.edu ferrum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McPherson College Ferrum College
Tuition (In State) $32,494 $37,400
Tuition (Out of State) $32,494 $37,400
Room & Board $9,918 $13,230
Avg Net Price $25,065 $25,558
Avg Grant Aid $21,916 $26,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

 McPherson College Ferrum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,445 1,452
Admitted 952 1,224
Acceptance Rate 65.9% 84.3%
Enrolled % 26.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 908/1120 900/1110
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 Aug 1, 2024 Sep 15, 2023

Academics

 McPherson College Ferrum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 McPherson College Ferrum College
Graduation Rate 46% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $289

Diversity

 McPherson College Ferrum College
% Men 67% 58%
% Women 33% 42%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 52%
% Black 10% 34%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 McPherson College Ferrum College
% In-State 31% 64%
% Out-of-State 62% 34%

Campus

 McPherson College Ferrum College
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

  • Ferrum College is larger than than McPherson College based on total student enrollment (855 students vs. 822 students)

McPherson College vs. Ferrum College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McPherson College or Ferrum College?

  • Ferrum College is 15.1% more expensive to attend than McPherson College for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $32,494.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at Ferrum College than McPherson College ($37,400.00 vs. $32,494.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McPherson College than Ferrum College ($25,065 vs. $25,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McPherson College are 33.4% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($9,918 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College than Ferrum College (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 21.3% larger than aid received McPherson College ($26,580 vs. $21,916)

McPherson College vs. Ferrum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McPherson College (940) is 59 points higher than at Ferrum College (881)
  • Incoming McPherson College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Ferrum College (18)
  • Accepted freshman McPherson College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Ferrum College (3.14)
  • Ferrum College has a higher acceptance rate (84.3%) than McPherson College (65.9%)

McPherson College vs. Ferrum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McPherson College or Ferrum College? 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 Ferrum College and McPherson College.

  • The graduation rate at McPherson College is higher than Ferrum College (46% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $5,200 more per year than Ferrum College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $39,000)
  • McPherson College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $28,000)
  • McPherson College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($268 vs. $289)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ferrum College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 49%)

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