Wheaton College vs Davidson College

Wheaton College and Davidson College, both highly regarded liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Wheaton, located in Norton, Massachusetts, is a Christian college with a strong emphasis on faith and service, while Davidson, situated in Davidson, North Carolina, is a secular institution known for its rigorous academics and vibrant campus life. With acceptance rates of 34% and 19%, respectively, both colleges are highly selective, attracting top students from across the nation. While Wheaton's student body is predominantly female (62%), Davidson's is more evenly balanced (51% female, 49% male). Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including popular majors, graduation rates, and financial aid opportunities, to determine which college best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Davidson College	Wheaton College
Overview
Location	Davidson, North Carolina	Wheaton, Illinois
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
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	95.0%	89.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian	Undenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	17.8%	86.3%
Application fees	$50	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $30
SAT range	N/A	1250 - 1430
ACT range	N/A	27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score		32.0%
Students submitting ACT score		25.0%
Total number of applicants	6,434	1,993
Total number of admissions given out	1,145	1,719
Admitted students who chose to enroll	547	546
Yield rate	47.8%	31.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$73,200	$54,700
Average net price	$25,794	$28,319
Tuition	$54,460	$40,570
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,700 Meal plan: $7,525	Room/dormitory: $6,640 Meal plan: $4,660
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	64.0% Average amount $47,889	91.0% Average amount $23,469
Students receiving federal student loan	10.0% Average amount $5,095	52.0% Average amount $5,169
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $33,219	5.0% Average amount $15,404

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,973 Men 47.2% Women 52.8%	2,341 Men 44.9% Women 55.1%
Graduate students	N/A	706 Men 34.6% Women 65.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	76.8%	N/A
International students	8.2%	5.9%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,830	2,153
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	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Psychology Physical Science Social Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures Ethnic Studies	Psychology Theology Education Health Professions Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	89.6%	87.6%
Dropout rate	10.0%	3.1%
Transferred out	N/A	9.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Economics (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $60,797 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $80,388 Political Science and Government (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $42,752 Year 2: $45,715 Year 3: $53,747 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,240 Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $41,099 Year 2: $35,330 Year 3: N/A Biology, General (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,670 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $34,292 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A Anthropology (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A History (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $22,075 Year 3: N/A	Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,492 Year 2: $48,667 Year 3: $61,559 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,982 Year 2: $37,748 Year 3: $48,761 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,694 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $48,539 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $30,613 Year 2: $33,459 Year 3: $41,661 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,251 Year 2: $37,856 Year 3: $41,339 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,767 Year 2: $39,049 Year 3: $38,775 Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,864 Year 3: $36,928 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,471 Year 2: $27,126 Year 3: $34,682 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,825 Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $32,867 Religious Education (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $31,289

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