- The Inkwell
- Iowa
- Central College
Pella, IATown: distantZIP 50219Founded 1853
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1853
- Carnegie class
- Baccalaureate: arts & sciences focus
- Highest degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.central.edu
IowaReligious affiliationPrivate nonprofit
Central College
Central College is a private nonprofit college in Pella, Iowa, with 1,070 undergraduates. It admits 86% of applicants, graduates 59% within six years and costs $22,894 a year after aid.
59%graduate
Admission rate86%
Retention80%
4-year graduation53%
Pell Grant share23%
Federal loans65%
$22,894net price / year
86%admission rate
1147average SAT
59%graduate in 6 years
$57,387median earnings, 10 yrs
$25,125median debt
#925 of 1,704 for earnings#1,084 of 1,739 for lowest net price#709 of 1,738 for graduation rate#1,046 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $37,773tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $21,934
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $21,934
- Average net price
- $22,894national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$16,038
$30,001–48,000$13,545
$48,001–75,000$17,397
$75,001–110,000$22,140
$110,001+$26,636
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 86%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1147
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 528–560
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 528–560
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 20–26
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college86%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college80%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college59%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college23%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 59%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 53%
- First-year retention
- 80%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 69%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $52,192
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $57,387middle 50%: $44,020–$78,070
- Median debt at graduation
- $25,125
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$78,070
Median, Central College$57,387
Lower quarter$44,020
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 1,070
- Part-time
- 1.9%
- Women / men
- 45% / 55%
- Average age at entry
- 19.7
- First-generation students
- 22%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 23%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 11 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 81%
- Average faculty salary
- $7,780 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $13,107
- Endowment, end of year
- $98,924,047
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White88%
Hispanic4.5%
Black2.0%
Asian0.4%
Two or more races3.1%
U.S. nonresident0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
Unknown1.9%
17 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Parks, recreation & fitness21%
Business & management20%
Biological & biomedical sciences10%
Social sciences7.1%
Education6.7%
Psychology6.3%
Communication & journalism5.1%
Engineering3.5%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in Iowa
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loras College Dubuque, IA | $22,910 | 64% | $63,900 |
| Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA | $25,297 | 60% | $57,224 |
| Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA | $23,935 | 52% | $59,669 |
| Morningside University Sioux City, IA | $23,505 | 52% | $58,902 |
| Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA | $18,647 | 60% | $60,502 |
| Northwestern College Orange City, IA | $24,716 | 66% | $57,028 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire College Amherst, MA | $23,030 | 58% | $47,422 |
| Wittenberg University Springfield, OH | $23,310 | 61% | $60,660 |
| Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN | $21,589 | 58% | $50,975 |
| Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar, VA | $21,856 | 57% | $54,986 |
| Franklin College Franklin, IN | $24,343 | 58% | $61,877 |
| Houghton University Houghton, NY | $21,959 | 62% | $52,730 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 153108. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q5060595.