Biola University vs St Catherine University

Biola University and St. Catherine University, while both offering a faith-based education, present distinct experiences for prospective students. Biola, a private Christian university in La Mirada, California, boasts a lower acceptance rate (58%) compared to St. Catherine's 85% in St. Paul, Minnesota. Biola's student body is predominantly female (61%), while St. Catherine's is nearly evenly split between genders. Both universities offer a range of popular majors, including nursing, business, and education, but Biola has a stronger emphasis on Bible and theology programs. With a higher graduation rate (75% vs. 68%), Biola may appeal to students seeking a rigorous academic environment. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more distinctions and make an informed decision about your educational journey.
Biola University logo

Biola University

St Catherine University logo

St Catherine University

Overview

Location La Mirada, California Saint Paul, Minnesota
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 88.0% 76.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Undenominational Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 60.8% 74.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $65
$60
SAT range 1103 - 1348 890 - 1210
ACT range 22 - 29 19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 26.0% 1.0%
Students submitting ACT score 11.0% 50.0%
Total number of applicants 4,354 1,561
Total number of admissions given out 2,646 1,169
Admitted students who chose to enroll 655 313
Yield rate 24.8% 26.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $59,500 $59,774
Average net price $29,123 $19,252
Tuition $44,382 $45,600
Room & board $10,202
Room/dormitory: $5,700

Meal plan: $3,900
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $28,421
99.0%
Average amount $32,230
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $4,897
53.0%
Average amount $5,006
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $15,279
4.0%
Average amount $10,822

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,596
Men 38.0% Women 62.0%
2,585
Men 4.3% Women 95.7%
Graduate students 1,955
Men 54.5% Women 45.5%
1,319
Men 10.9% Women 89.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 28.6% N/A
International students 9.2% 0.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,750 800
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Oregon Texas Colorado N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Theology
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • Psychology
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 69.9% 59.4%
Dropout rate 6.1% 8.8%
Transferred out 22.7% 30.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,482
  • Year 2: $74,576
  • Year 3: $86,424
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,587
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $72,963
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,111
  • Year 2: $44,711
  • Year 3: $53,447
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,980
  • Year 2: $51,273
  • Year 3: $52,274
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,574
  • Year 2: $26,585
  • Year 3: $44,140
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,811
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $43,156
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,228
  • Year 2: $35,772
  • Year 3: $41,681
Religious Education (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,993
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $41,017
Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,448
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $40,971
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,443
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $40,650
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,868
  • Year 2: $115,208
  • Year 3: $122,737
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,395
  • Year 2: $95,860
  • Year 3: $101,947
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,366
  • Year 2: $72,101
  • Year 3: $74,138
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,008
  • Year 2: $68,029
  • Year 3: $72,138
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,584
  • Year 2: $66,915
  • Year 3: $70,789
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,766
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $67,536
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,947
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $61,567
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,589
  • Year 2: $57,920
  • Year 3: $59,484
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,762
  • Year 2: $55,724
  • Year 3: $56,317
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,395
  • Year 2: $53,108
  • Year 3: $54,700

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