College of the Atlantic vs Ave Maria

College of the Atlantic and Ave Maria University, two distinct institutions with unique offerings, present prospective students with contrasting educational experiences. College of the Atlantic, a private liberal arts college in Bar Harbor, Maine, boasts a 75% acceptance rate and a focus on environmental studies, marine biology, and human ecology. Ave Maria University, a private Catholic university in Ave Maria, Florida, offers a more traditional liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on Catholic theology and philosophy. With an acceptance rate of 65%, Ave Maria University attracts students seeking a faith-based education. While both institutions provide a supportive learning environment, their differing acceptance rates, academic foci, and student body demographics make them suitable for different types of learners. Explore the comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal values.

	Ave Maria University	College of the Atlantic
Overview
Location	Ave Maria, Florida	Bar Harbor, Maine
Campus setting	Rural: Distant	Town: Remote
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	76.0%	81.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	64.0%	61.1%
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants	3,705	525
Total number of admissions given out	2,373	321
Admitted students who chose to enroll	377	93
Yield rate	15.9%	29.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$41,977	$50,442
Average net price	$18,643	$19,142
Tuition	$23,521	$42,993
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,562 Meal plan: $5,528	Room/dormitory: $6,210 Meal plan: $3,537
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $21,230	98.0% Average amount $34,744
Students receiving federal student loan	55.0% Average amount $5,696	64.0% Average amount $4,759
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $11,852	6.0% Average amount $16,806

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,259 Men 45.1% Women 54.9%	374 Men 29.7% Women 70.3%
Graduate students	43 Men 69.8% Women 30.2%	2 Men 50.0% Women 50.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	1.3%	23.1%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Distant	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	1,244	235
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	Health Professions Business Theology Social Sciences Education	Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	60.9%	66.7%
Dropout rate	39.1%	32.1%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,648 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $36,766 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,250 Year 3: $34,401 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,800 Year 2: $30,988 Year 3: $30,767 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,762 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Theological and Ministerial Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,775 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,041 Year 3: N/A	Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,916 Year 2: $16,920 Year 3: $24,486

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