Southeastern University vs SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary

Southeastern University and SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Southeastern University, with an acceptance rate of 58%, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including popular majors like Business, Education, and Psychology. SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary, on the other hand, has a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 48% and specializes in theological studies, preparing students for careers in ministry and Christian leadership. While both institutions offer a faith-based education, Southeastern University's larger student body and broader curriculum may appeal to those seeking a more comprehensive university experience, while SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary's focused curriculum and smaller class sizes may be ideal for those seeking a deeper dive into theological studies. Explore the comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations.

	Southeastern University	SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
Overview
Location	Lakeland, Florida	El Dorado Hills, California
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Rural: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Trimester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	70.0%	94.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Protestant	Protestant

Admission
Acceptance rate	44.9%	100.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $20
SAT range	960 - 1183	N/A
ACT range	19 - 25	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	4.0%
Students submitting ACT score	24.0%
Total number of applicants	4,940	96
Total number of admissions given out	2,219	96
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,205	81
Yield rate	54.3%	84.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$43,134	$29,479
Average net price	$27,536	$16,375
Tuition	$27,320	$9,600
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,420 Meal plan: $5,394
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	95.0% Average amount $13,633	97.0% Average amount $4,447
Students receiving federal student loan	63.0% Average amount $5,442	73.0% Average amount $4,974
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $12,989	0.0% Average amount $0

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,118 Men 41.9% Women 58.1%	416 Men 50.5% Women 49.5%
Graduate students	1,247 Men 37.9% Women 62.1%	212 Men 67.9% Women 32.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	52.5%	N/A
International students	2.2%	33.9%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	1,699	24
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Florida Ohio Alabama California Texas	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Theology Education Business Public Administration and Social Service Communication and Journalism	Theology
Students to faculty ratio	26:1	23:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	51.4%	23.9%
Dropout rate	36.3%	67.3%
Transferred out	11.3%	7.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $47,821 Year 2: $45,696 Year 3: $43,751 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,660 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $37,065 Theology and Religious Vocations, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $29,900 Year 2: $36,490 Year 3: $36,937 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,742 Year 2: $30,119 Year 3: $33,900 Theology and Religious Vocations, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,245 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $32,188 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,456 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $40,485 Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,715 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Human Services, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,386 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: N/A Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: N/A	Bible/Biblical Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,693 Year 2: $21,824 Year 3: $23,678

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Southeastern University

Vanguard University of Southern California