Davidson College vs Principia College
Davidson College and Principia College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Davidson, a private liberal arts college in North Carolina, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 22%, while Principia, a private Christian college in Illinois, maintains a more open admissions policy with an acceptance rate of 80%. Davidson's student body is diverse, with 48% female and 52% male students, while Principia's student body is predominantly female, with 63% female and 37% male students. Both colleges offer a range of popular majors, with Davidson excelling in fields like Economics, English, and Biology, and Principia excelling in fields like Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Psychology. With graduation rates of 89% and 68% respectively, Davidson and Principia provide their students with strong academic foundations and preparation for their future careers. Explore the detailed comparison table below
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![]() Davidson College |
![]() Principia College |
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Overview |
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Location | Davidson, North Carolina | 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 | 95.0% | 81.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Presbyterian | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 17.8% | 84.1% |
Application fees | $50 | |
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 | 6,434 | 138 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,145 | 116 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 547 | 79 |
Yield rate | 47.8% | 68.1% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $73,200 | $42,820 |
Average net price | $25,794 | $19,816 |
Tuition | $54,460 | $29,970 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$7,700
Meal plan:
$7,525
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Room/dormitory:
$5,810
Meal plan:
$6,460
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
64.0%
Average amount $47,889 |
94.0%
Average amount $25,174 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
10.0%
Average amount $5,095 |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $33,219 |
94.0%
Average amount $2,016 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,973
Men 47.2% Women 52.8% |
321
Men 53.0% Women 47.0% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 76.8% | 92.7% |
International students | 8.2% | 24.3% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Rural: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | 1,830 | 585 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | North Carolina Virginia Texas New Jersey Florida | Missouri California Texas Illinois Ohio |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 10:1 | 5:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 89.6% | 85.9% |
Dropout rate | 10.0% | 14.1% |
Transferred out | N/A | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Economics (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Political Science and Government (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
English Language and Literature, General (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Biology, General (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Psychology, General (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
Anthropology (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
History (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
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N/A |
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