Central College vs Illinois College

Central College and Illinois College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Central College, nestled in Pella, Iowa, boasts a higher acceptance rate (88%) compared to Illinois College's (75%) in Jacksonville, Illinois. Central's student body is slightly larger, with an undergraduate population of 1,900, while Illinois College fosters a more intimate learning environment with approximately 1,000 undergraduates. While both colleges offer a diverse range of majors, Central College is known for its strong programs in business, education, and health sciences, while Illinois College excels in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover further distinctions between these two exceptional institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Central College logo

Central College

Illinois College logo

Illinois College

Overview

Location Pella, Iowa Jacksonville, Illinois
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0% 76.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant Presbyterian

Admission

Acceptance rate 74.5% 74.8%
Application fees $25
SAT range 1000 - 1260 950 - 1150
ACT range 19 - 25 18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 10.0% 57.0%
Students submitting ACT score 67.0% 32.0%
Total number of applicants 2,202 3,522
Total number of admissions given out 1,641 2,633
Admitted students who chose to enroll 340 249
Yield rate 20.7% 9.5%
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 Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $34,302 $42,742
Average net price $22,966 $18,914
Tuition $19,250 $34,752
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,892

Meal plan: $5,660
Room/dormitory: $4,988

Meal plan: $4,946
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
100.0%
Average amount $26,845
Students receiving federal student loan 73.0%
Average amount $5,605
74.0%
Average amount $5,294
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,712
13.0%
Average amount $10,848

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,139
Men 51.3% Women 48.7%
1,097
Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 20.2%
International students 0.1% 4.2%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 1,405 963
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Illinois Missouri Georgia Alabama Indiana

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Education
  • Business
  • English Language and Literature
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 66.1% 64.0%
Dropout rate 2.5% 36.0%
Transferred out 31.0% N/A
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
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,712
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $47,790
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: $44,043
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,048
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $39,233
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,429
  • Year 2: $28,960
  • Year 3: $35,396
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,386
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,515
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,718
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,420
  • Year 3: N/A

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