Central College vs Hamilton College

Central College and Hamilton College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Central, located in Pella, Iowa, boasts a higher acceptance rate (93%) compared to Hamilton's selective admissions (22%). Central's student body is more diverse, with a larger international student population, while Hamilton's student body is predominantly white. Central offers a wider range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like business and education, while Hamilton excels in the humanities and social sciences. Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, with Central's at 75% and Hamilton's at 93%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences and determine which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Central College logo

Central College

Hamilton College logo

Hamilton College

Overview

Location Pella, Iowa Clinton, New York
Campus setting Town: Distant Suburb: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 79.0% 94.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 74.5% 14.1%
Application fees $25 $60
SAT range 1000 - 1260 1410 - 1540
ACT range 19 - 25 33 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 10.0% 32.0%
Students submitting ACT score 67.0% 20.0%
Total number of applicants 2,202 9,380
Total number of admissions given out 1,641 1,320
Admitted students who chose to enroll 340 533
Yield rate 20.7% 40.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $34,302 $76,700
Average net price $22,966 $26,803
Tuition $19,250 $59,380
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,892

Meal plan: $5,660
Room/dormitory: $8,320

Meal plan: $6,910
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $10,353
55.0%
Average amount $47,867
Students receiving federal student loan 73.0%
Average amount $5,605
35.0%
Average amount $4,331
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,712
4.0%
Average amount $25,195

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,139
Men 51.3% Women 48.7%
2,055
Men 45.8% Women 54.2%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 0.1% 6.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,405 2,057
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Education
  • Business
  • English Language and Literature
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Physical Science
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 66.1% 91.5%
Dropout rate 2.5% 0.8%
Transferred out 31.0% 6.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,439
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,169
  • Year 2: $44,542
  • Year 3: $50,519
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,119
  • Year 3: $48,234
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,721
  • Year 3: $41,814
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $40,707
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $37,077
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,314
  • Year 3: $33,927
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,790
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,508
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,571
  • Year 2: $63,501
  • Year 3: $84,359
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,593
  • Year 2: $59,045
  • Year 3: $74,628
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,577
  • Year 2: $53,894
  • Year 3: $56,960
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $51,273
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $24,772
  • Year 3: N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: N/A
Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: N/A
Research and Experimental Psychology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,978
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: N/A

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