Bluffton University vs Otterbein University

Bluffton University and Otterbein University, both esteemed private institutions in Ohio, offer distinct educational experiences. Bluffton, a Mennonite-affiliated university, fosters a close-knit community with a focus on liberal arts and sciences. Otterbein, known for its strong music and theater programs, provides a vibrant campus life and diverse academic offerings. While Bluffton boasts a higher acceptance rate and a smaller student body, Otterbein attracts a more ethnically diverse population and offers a wider range of majors. Both universities share a commitment to academic excellence and personalized attention, but their unique characteristics may appeal to different students. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Bluffton University	Otterbein University
Overview
Location	Bluffton, Ohio	Westerville, Ohio
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 and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	69.0%	80.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Anabaptists	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.2%	82.9%
Application fees		$40
SAT range	N/A	1028 - 1233
ACT range	N/A	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score		12.0%
Students submitting ACT score		65.0%
Total number of applicants	1,715	3,537
Total number of admissions given out	1,290	2,932
Admitted students who chose to enroll	242	570
Yield rate	18.8%	19.4%
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	$49,282	$49,638
Average net price	$21,239	$22,138
Tuition	$33,952	$33,224
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,586 Meal plan: $5,760	Room/dormitory: $6,318 Meal plan: $5,674
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $28,155	100.0% Average amount $23,065
Students receiving federal student loan	86.0% Average amount $6,199	94.0% Average amount $7,792
Students taking out private loans	10.0% Average amount $12,485	9.0% Average amount $13,529

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	728 Men 54.9% Women 45.1%	2,253 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%
Graduate students	63 Men 33.3% Women 66.7%	352 Men 29.8% Women 70.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	13.3%
International students	2.5%	0.0%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	740	1,268
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Ohio New York Michigan Florida Texas

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Education Family and Consumer Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Law Enforcement and Firefighting	Health Professions Business Education Visual & Performing Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	52.5%	69.2%
Dropout rate	47.0%	9.2%
Transferred out	N/A	21.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,827 Year 2: $57,995 Year 3: $68,178 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,964 Year 2: $39,153 Year 3: $50,139 Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,857 Year 2: $33,637 Year 3: $39,034 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,393 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $36,862 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,983 Year 2: $36,077 Year 3: $36,226 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,237 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: $33,873 Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,382 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: N/A Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $102,659 Year 2: $111,017 Year 3: $112,239 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,815 Year 2: $59,858 Year 3: $61,251 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $60,614 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,332 Year 2: $41,342 Year 3: $50,181 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,872 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $43,144 Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,792 Year 2: $44,170 Year 3: $42,185 Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,912 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $37,500 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,416 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $37,480 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,439 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $37,205 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,081 Year 2: $32,569 Year 3: $34,506

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.

Bluffton University

McKendree University