Grand View University vs Central College

Grand View University and Central College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Grand View, a private university in Des Moines, Iowa, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Central's 68%. Central, a private liberal arts college in Pella, Iowa, excels in the sciences, with popular majors including biology, chemistry, and environmental science. Grand View, on the other hand, is known for its strong programs in business, education, and nursing. While Central's student body is predominantly White (87%), Grand View's student population is more diverse, with a significant Hispanic and Black population. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Grand View's at 56% and Central's at 63%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two excellent schools.
Central College logo

Central College

Grand View University logo

Grand View University

Overview

Location Pella, Iowa Des Moines, Iowa
Campus setting Town: Distant City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0% 71.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Protestant Evangelical

Admission

Acceptance rate 74.5% 99.5%
Application fees $25
SAT range 1000 - 1260 920 - 1080
ACT range 19 - 25 17 - 22
Students submitting SAT score 10.0% 5.0%
Students submitting ACT score 67.0% 55.0%
Total number of applicants 2,202 1,765
Total number of admissions given out 1,641 1,757
Admitted students who chose to enroll 340 291
Yield rate 20.7% 16.6%
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 $34,302 $45,832
Average net price $22,966 $20,434
Tuition $19,250 $30,224
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,892

Meal plan: $5,660
Room/dormitory: $5,040

Meal plan: $4,958
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $10,353
100.0%
Average amount $21,330
Students receiving federal student loan 73.0%
Average amount $5,605
70.0%
Average amount $5,236
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,712
10.0%
Average amount $12,302

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,139
Men 51.3% Women 48.7%
1,561
Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
Graduate students N/A 196
Men 39.3% Women 60.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 0.1% 3.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,405 894
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
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Education
  • Business
  • English Language and Literature
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 66.1% 50.8%
Dropout rate 2.5% 11.3%
Transferred out 31.0% 37.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,439
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,169
  • Year 2: $44,542
  • Year 3: $50,519
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,119
  • Year 3: $48,234
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,721
  • Year 3: $41,814
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $40,707
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $37,077
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,314
  • Year 3: $33,927
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,790
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,508
  • Year 3: N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,599
  • Year 2: $59,485
  • Year 3: $60,688
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,360
  • Year 2: $54,621
  • Year 3: $53,729
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,981
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $50,705
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,034
  • Year 2: $47,729
  • Year 3: $50,078
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,216
  • Year 2: $46,478
  • Year 3: $49,772
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,684
  • Year 2: $41,007
  • Year 3: $47,311
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $41,007
  • Year 3: $44,281
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,116
  • Year 2: $41,725
  • Year 3: $44,096
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,318
  • Year 2: $42,073
  • Year 3: $42,973
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,027
  • Year 2: $38,721
  • Year 3: $42,454

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