Central College vs Oglethorpe University

Central College and Oglethorpe University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Central College, nestled in the heart of Pella, Iowa, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on personalized attention and experiential learning. Oglethorpe University, located in the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia, prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum and commitment to social justice. While both institutions share a dedication to academic excellence, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Central College logo

Central College

Oglethorpe University logo

Oglethorpe University

Overview

Location Pella, Iowa Atlanta, Georgia
Campus setting Town: Distant Suburb: Large
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% 79.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 74.5% 81.3%
Application fees $25 $50
SAT range 1000 - 1260 1070 - 1280
ACT range 19 - 25 24 - 30
Students submitting SAT score 10.0% 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 67.0% 22.0%
Total number of applicants 2,202 2,277
Total number of admissions given out 1,641 1,851
Admitted students who chose to enroll 340 404
Yield rate 20.7% 21.8%
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 $34,302 $62,154
Average net price $22,966 $14,929
Tuition $19,250 $42,474
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,892

Meal plan: $5,660
$14,200
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 $34,704
Students receiving federal student loan 73.0%
Average amount $5,605
83.0%
Average amount $5,596
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,712
11.0%
Average amount $11,706

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,139
Men 51.3% Women 48.7%
1,446
Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 0.1% 9.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,405 824
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
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
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 66.1% 58.1%
Dropout rate 2.5% 41.2%
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
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,750
  • Year 3: $67,208
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,564
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $47,775
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,990
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $44,905
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,052
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,668
  • Year 3: N/A

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