Central College
Pella, IA 50219
About Central College
Central College is a private university in Pella, Iowa, enrolling about 1,070 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 86.17% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $57,387 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Central College charges 27% below the national private non-profit median tuition ($21,934).
- Versus the Iowa median, sticker tuition is 4% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 59.05%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $57,387.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Central College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 527% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central College | $21,934 | $22,894 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $30,216 | — | 1,451 |
| Iowa (state median) | $21,100 | $12,346 | 49 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,824 | $15,745 | 1,516 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,569 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Central College really?
Key findings
- Central College charges 27% below the national private non-profit median tuition ($21,934).
- Versus the Iowa median, sticker tuition is 4% above.
Central College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $21,934
Finding Central College charges 27% below the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $21,934. That is 27% below the national private non-profit median ($30,216). Versus the Iowa median ($21,100), sticker tuition is 4% above. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is about 1.8×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Central College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Central College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Central College is $22,894.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $22,894 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $10,548 above the Iowa median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $7,149 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Central College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Central College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Central College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$21,934
Avg. net price
$22,894
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $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 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $87,736. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Central College is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General48
- Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology38
- Elementary Education and Teaching19
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General19
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric17
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 18% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1147
- Midpoint ACT: 22
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Central College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Central College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Central College.
Campus
Location
Pella, IA
City / state
- ZIP
- 50219
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 45% above the median for Town campuses ($15,745 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus
Size
Enrollment
1,070
Undergraduates (fall)
- Undergraduates (full year)
- 1,187
- Full-time share
- 98%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,125
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 23.34%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Central College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Central College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Central College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $30,700 | $30,700 | $21,540 |
| 2014 | $32,124 | $32,124 | $19,158 |
| 2015 | $33,345 | $33,345 | $20,618 |
| 2016 | $34,612 | $34,612 | $21,233 |
| 2017 | $35,930 | $35,930 | $22,558 |
| 2018 | $37,296 | $37,296 | $21,421 |
| 2019 | $38,600 | $38,600 | $23,269 |
| 2020 | $18,600 | $18,600 | $21,099 |
| 2021 | $19,250 | $19,250 | $22,535 |
| 2022 | $19,800 | $19,800 | $22,578 |
| 2023 | $20,988 | $20,988 | $22,353 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1147 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 22 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Central College reported total enrollment of about 1,070 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 55% male and 45% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (87.9%), Hispanic or Latino (4.5%), and Two or More Races (3.1%). About 23.34% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 21.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Central College in 2024 is 1,070 students.
Over a full year, about 1,187 undergraduates enroll.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
79.9%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
52.82% 100% Completion Time
59.05% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 52.82% of students graduating from Central College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 75% male / 25% female
- Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology: 45% male / 55% female
- Elementary Education and Teaching: 5% male / 95% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Central College graduates earn a median of $57,387 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Central College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $57,387. Median federal loan debt: $25,125. Average net price used in cost models: $22,894.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Central College graduates report median earnings of $57,387 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Central College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (30 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Central College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Central College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Central College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$95.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Iowa median 2.6× the median ($36.3M)
- Plains median 4.0× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 3.6× the median ($26.4M)
- Iowa median 3.0× the median ($28,406)
- Plains median 5.7× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 7.1× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 81.1%
- Iowa median 6.5 pp below median (87.6%)
- Plains median 16.4 pp above median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 23.1 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,780
- Iowa median 1.1× the median ($7,039)
- Plains median 1.1× the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $13,107
- Iowa median 1.6× the median ($8,352)
- Plains median 1.6× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Central College at a glance
Central College
Central College is a private non-profit institution in Pella, IA, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralExercise Physiology and KinesiologyElementary Education and Teaching
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian87.9%Hispanic or Latino4.5%Two or More Races3.1%
Schools near Central College
Other campuses in Pella, IA when available, plus nearby institutions in Iowa.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Iowa, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Central College located?
Central College is located in Pella, IA.
What is Central College's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Central College is 86.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,978 applicants and 1,562 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Central College's tuition?
Central College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $21,934 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $22,894 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Central College cost?
Reported tuition is $21,934 and average net price is $22,894 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,060 annually.
What explains Central College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($22,894), completion (59.1% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($57,387). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Central College?
Central College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,187 students, White (87.9%), Hispanic or Latino (4.5%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Central College?
About 21.5% of students at Central College are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Central College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Central College reports midpoint SAT about 1147 and midpoint ACT about 22.
What do graduates of Central College earn?
Median earnings are $52,192 six years after entry and $57,387 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Central College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 59.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Central College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,125.
Is Central College public or private?
Central College is a private nonprofit institution located in Pella, IA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.