Nichols vs. USW

Should I go to Nichols College or University of the Southwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Nichols or USW 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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Nichols College vs. University of the Southwest comparison
Nichols College University of the Southwest College 3 College 4
Nichols College
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Overview

 Nichols USW
Location Dudley, MA Hobbs, NM
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,403 1,066
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #926
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nichols.edu usw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Nichols USW
Tuition (In State) $37,150 $17,000
Tuition (Out of State) $37,150 $17,000
Room & Board $14,110 $8,910
Avg Net Price $27,192 $20,533
Avg Grant Aid $26,515 $8,365
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Nichols USW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,358 -
Admitted 2,001 -
Acceptance Rate 84.9%Open Open
Enrolled % 15.8%Open Open
Avg High School GPA 2.9 2.63
Typical High School Grades B- C+
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 945/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Nichols USW
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (75%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Education (2%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (29%)
  • Psychology (17%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Nichols USW
Graduation Rate 43% 18%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

 Nichols USW
% Men 63% 38%
% Women 37% 62%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 12%
% Black 7% 14%
% Hispanic 6% 47%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 26%

Students

 Nichols USW
% In-State 57% 48%
% Out-of-State 40% 48%

Campus

 Nichols USW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Nichols College is larger than than USW based on total student enrollment (1,403 students vs. 1,066 students)

Nichols vs. USW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Nichols or USW?

  • Nichols College is 118.5% more expensive to attend than USW for in-state tuition ($37,150.00 vs. $17,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.5% higher at Nichols than University of the Southwest ($37,150.00 vs. $17,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the Southwest than Nichols ($20,533 vs. $27,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Southwest are 58.4% lower than costs at Nichols College ($8,910 vs. $14,110)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Nichols College as University of the Southwest (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nichols College students is 217% larger than aid received University of the Southwest ($26,515 vs. $8,365)

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

  • Accepted freshman Nichols students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (2.9) than students at USW (2.63)

Nichols vs. USW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Nichols or USW? 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 USW and Nichols.

  • The graduation rate at Nichols is higher than University of the Southwest (43% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from Nichols College earn on average $6,100 more per year than USW graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $45,700)
  • University of the Southwest students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Nichols graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • USW graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Nichols graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More Nichols graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USW students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 47%)

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