McPherson College vs Otterbein University

McPherson College and Otterbein University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. McPherson College, a private liberal arts college in McPherson, Kansas, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on personalized attention and a strong emphasis on faith-based education. Otterbein University, a private liberal arts university in Westerville, Ohio, prides itself on its commitment to academic excellence, experiential learning, and a diverse and inclusive campus culture. While both institutions share a dedication to student success, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	McPherson College	Otterbein University
Overview
Location	McPherson, Kansas	Westerville, Ohio
Campus setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	66.0%	80.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Anabaptists	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	84.6%	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	884	3,537
Total number of admissions given out	748	2,932
Admitted students who chose to enroll	271	570
Yield rate	36.2%	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	$50,234	$49,638
Average net price	$24,693	$22,138
Tuition	$31,396	$33,224
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,850 Meal plan: $5,082	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 $20,222	100.0% Average amount $23,065
Students receiving federal student loan	81.0% Average amount $5,328	94.0% Average amount $7,792
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $12,570	9.0% Average amount $13,529

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	830 Men 67.1% Women 32.9%	2,253 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%
Graduate students	12 Men 25.0% Women 75.0%	352 Men 29.8% Women 70.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	13.3%
International students	7.0%	0.0%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	662	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 Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Biological and Biomedical Sciences Education Health Professions	Health Professions Business Education Visual & Performing Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	52.6%	69.2%
Dropout rate	47.4%	9.2%
Transferred out	N/A	21.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,087 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,145 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,202 Year 2: N/A 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

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