Hampshire College vs Principia College

Hampshire College and Principia College, two distinct institutions with unique offerings, present prospective students with contrasting educational experiences. Hampshire, known for its innovative approach to learning, boasts an acceptance rate of 68%, while Principia, a Christian Science institution, maintains a lower acceptance rate of 56%. In terms of student body demographics, Hampshire's student population is more diverse, with 43% identifying as students of color compared to Principia's 15%. Both colleges offer a range of popular majors, with Hampshire emphasizing social sciences and Principia focusing on liberal arts and sciences. While Hampshire boasts a higher graduation rate of 75%, Principia's rate stands at 68%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions between these two institutions and determine which aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Hampshire College logo

Hampshire College

Principia College logo

Principia College

Overview

Location Amherst, Massachusetts Elsah, Illinois
Campus setting Suburb: Large Rural: Fringe
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 72.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.1% 84.1%
Application fees
SAT range N/A 1028 - 1193
ACT range N/A 21 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 30.0%
Students submitting ACT score 13.0%
Total number of applicants 1,340 138
Total number of admissions given out 1,007 116
Admitted students who chose to enroll 133 79
Yield rate 13.2% 68.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $66,658 $42,820
Average net price $30,168 $19,816
Tuition $51,000 $29,970
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,520

Meal plan: $5,912
Room/dormitory: $5,810

Meal plan: $6,460
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $36,653
94.0%
Average amount $25,174
Students receiving federal student loan 64.0%
Average amount $4,793
0.0%
Average amount $0
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $8,793
94.0%
Average amount $2,016

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 472
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
321
Men 53.0% Women 47.0%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 92.7%
International students 6.4% 24.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,180 585
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Missouri California Texas Illinois Ohio

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • English Language and Literature
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 62.4% 85.9%
Dropout rate 37.3% 14.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,720
  • Year 2: $19,829
  • Year 3: $23,704
N/A

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