Blackburn College vs Elmhurst University

Blackburn College and Elmhurst University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Blackburn College, nestled in Carlinville, Illinois, prides itself on its small, close-knit community, with an acceptance rate of 98% and an average class size of 15. Elmhurst University, located in Elmhurst, Illinois, boasts a larger student body and a more diverse range of academic programs, with an acceptance rate of 75% and an average class size of 20. While both institutions offer a variety of undergraduate degrees, Blackburn College is known for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, while Elmhurst University excels in business, nursing, and education. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about the unique characteristics of each university and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Blackburn College	Elmhurst University
Overview
Location	Carlinville, Illinois	Elmhurst, Illinois
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	67.0%	76.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian	Protestant

Admission
Acceptance rate	66.2%	71.3%
Application fees
SAT range	888 - 1125	1013 - 1220
ACT range	16 - 24	22 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	31.0%	29.0%
Students submitting ACT score	14.0%	9.0%
Total number of applicants	453	3,762
Total number of admissions given out	300	2,682
Admitted students who chose to enroll	77	531
Yield rate	25.7%	19.8%
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)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$39,230	$55,536
Average net price	$19,016	$24,018
Tuition	$25,570	$39,100
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,230 Meal plan: $3,590	Room/dormitory: $6,428 Meal plan: $4,544
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $16,362	99.0% Average amount $25,993
Students receiving federal student loan	90.0% Average amount $5,057	65.0% Average amount $5,287
Students taking out private loans	3.0% Average amount $7,924	9.0% Average amount $15,454

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	414 Men 44.4% Women 55.6%	2,914 Men 38.5% Women 61.5%
Graduate students	N/A	604 Men 33.8% Women 66.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	21.9%	N/A
International students	0.7%	2.2%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	449	964
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Illinois Texas California Indiana Missouri	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Business Computer and Information Science Psychology	Health Professions Business Education Psychology Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	45.9%	68.4%
Dropout rate	54.1%	31.6%
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: N/A Year 2: $40,456 Year 3: $40,959 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,105 Year 2: $33,138 Year 3: $37,331 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,093 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,839 Year 2: $81,997 Year 3: $88,790 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $69,792 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $86,731 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,229 Year 2: $63,832 Year 3: $66,861 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,535 Year 2: $54,209 Year 3: $65,150 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,244 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $64,665 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,014 Year 2: $51,690 Year 3: $60,665 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $59,776 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,970 Year 2: $36,401 Year 3: $54,414 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,672 Year 2: $45,383 Year 3: $54,289 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,194 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: $48,489

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