NEC vs. CU

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cumberland University is larger than NEC based on total student enrollment (3,457 students vs. 3,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Cumberland University is in Lebanon, TN (Distant Town setting).
• New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cumberland University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Cumberland University 19:1.

NEC vs. CU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or CU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cumberland University than NEC ($18,499 vs. $27,398).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 27% lower than at New England College ($12,800 vs. $17,526).
• New England College is 50.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than CU (about $14,098 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $27,840.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 50.6% higher at NEC than at Cumberland University (about $14,098 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $27,840.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cumberland University than at New England College (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 29.9% larger than aid received by Cumberland University students ($32,095 vs. $24,703).

NEC vs. CU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or CU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CU and NEC.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; CU - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman CU students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than CU (67.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.8% at NEC vs. 40.5% at CU.

NEC vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and CU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• New England College's six-year graduation rate (38%) is higher than Cumberland University's (34%).
• Graduates from Cumberland University earn a median of about $500 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,900 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cumberland University graduates have a $5,271 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($21,729 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, CU graduates have an estimated $55 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($224 vs. $279).
• More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.