SWU vs. Carthage

Deciding between Southern Wesleyan University and Carthage College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Carthage College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • SWU Central, SC
  • Carthage Kenosha, WI
  • Setting
  • SWU Distant Town
  • Carthage Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • SWU 980
  • Carthage 2,844
  • Type
  • SWU Private 4 Year
  • Carthage Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SWU
  • Carthage #663
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SWU Wesleyan
  • Carthage Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Status
  • SWU Non-profit
  • Carthage Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SWU
  • Carthage

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SWU $29,800
  • Carthage $38,750
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SWU $29,800
  • Carthage $38,750
  • Room & Board
  • SWU $10,126
  • Carthage $13,450
  • Average Net Price
  • SWU $20,134
  • Carthage $27,066
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SWU $19,498
  • Carthage $23,784
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SWU 100%
  • Carthage 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SWU 427
  • Carthage 7,777
  • Admitted
  • SWU 425
  • Carthage 6,771
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SWU 99.5%
  • Carthage 87.1%
  • Enrolled
  • SWU 33.4%
  • Carthage 11.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • SWU 1130
  • Carthage 1100
  • Typical ACT score
  • SWU 25
  • Carthage 22
  • Average High School GPA
  • SWU 4.0
  • Carthage 3.36
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SWU A/A+
  • Carthage B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • SWU Average
  • Carthage Moderate
  • Applicant Competition
  • SWU
  • Carthage
  • ACT Range
  • SWU 22/28
  • Carthage 19/26
  • SAT Range
  • SWU 1040/1210
  • Carthage 1000/1205
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SWU Test optional
  • Carthage Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • SWU
  • Carthage

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SWU 10:1
  • Carthage 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SWU
    • Business (66%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
    • Psychology (3%)
  • Carthage
    • Business (28%)
    • Education (14%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Communication (7%)
    • Biology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SWU 42%
  • Carthage 59%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SWU $44,800
  • Carthage $48,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SWU 50%
  • Carthage 73%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SWU $27,000
  • Carthage $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SWU $279
  • Carthage $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SWU 36%
  • Carthage 43%
  • % Women
  • SWU 64%
  • Carthage 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SWU Medium
  • Carthage Very Low
  • HBCU
  • SWU No
  • Carthage No
  • % White
  • SWU 63%
  • Carthage 75%
  • % Asian
  • SWU 0%
  • Carthage 1%
  • % Black
  • SWU 28%
  • Carthage 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • SWU 5%
  • Carthage 4%
  • % Native American
  • SWU 0%
  • Carthage 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SWU 0%
  • Carthage 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SWU 2%
  • Carthage 3%
  • % International
  • SWU 1%
  • Carthage 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SWU 1%
  • Carthage 11%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SWU 56%
  • Carthage 36%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SWU 39%
  • Carthage 63%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • SWU Yes
  • Carthage Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • SWU No
  • Carthage No
  • Meal Plan
  • SWU Yes
  • Carthage Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • SWU Yes
  • Carthage Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • SWU No
  • Carthage No

Comparable Facts

Compare Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC with Carthage College in Kenosha, WI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Carthage College is larger than SWU based on total student enrollment (2,844 students vs. 980 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Southern Wesleyan University is located in Central, SC (Distant Town setting); Carthage College is in Kenosha, WI (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Southern Wesleyan University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Carthage College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Southern Wesleyan University 10:1; Carthage College 14:1.

SWU vs. Carthage Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWU or Carthage? 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 Southern Wesleyan University than Carthage ($20,134 vs. $27,066).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Wesleyan University are 24.7% lower than at Carthage College ($10,126 vs. $13,450).
  • Carthage College is 30% more expensive for in-state tuition than SWU (about $8,950 more per year; $38,750.00 vs. $29,800.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 30% higher at Carthage than at Southern Wesleyan University (about $8,950 more per year; $38,750.00 vs. $29,800.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Southern Wesleyan University as at Carthage College (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carthage College students is 22% larger than aid received by Southern Wesleyan University students ($23,784 vs. $19,498).

SWU vs. Carthage Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWU or Carthage? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Carthage and SWU.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Southern Wesleyan University (1130) is 30 points higher than at Carthage (1100).
  • Incoming SWU students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (25 vs. 22 at Carthage).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Southern Wesleyan University 1040/1210; Carthage College 1000/1205.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Southern Wesleyan University 22/28; Carthage College 19/26.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SWU - Test optional; Carthage - Test optional.
  • Enrolled freshman SWU students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Carthage (3.36).
  • SWU has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Carthage (87.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 33.4% at SWU vs. 11.3% at Carthage.

SWU vs. Carthage Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWU and Carthage? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Carthage College's six-year graduation rate (59%) is higher than Southern Wesleyan University's (42%).
  • Graduates from Carthage College earn a median of about $4,000 more per year than SWU graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,800 vs. $44,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Carthage College and SWU graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Carthage College and SWU graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
  • More Carthage graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 50%)

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.