Central vs Southern Virginia
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
BCompass Score: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Central CollegePella, IACompass Score: Good · Top 37%C+Compass Score: Solid (grade C+): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Southern Virginia UniversityBuena Vista, VACompass Score: Solid
At a glance
- Central has the higher graduation rate: 66% against 33% at Southern Virginia.
- For families earning up to $30,000, Central has the lower price after aid: $16,231 a year, against $18,957 at Southern Virginia.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Central: $54,317, against $50,002 at Southern Virginia.
Scores
Compass Score
BCompass Score: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 37%
C+Compass Score: Solid (grade C+): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
Academic Excellence
B+Academic Excellence: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 25%
B-Academic Excellence: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
Value
B-Value: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
B-Value: Good (grade B-): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
The college
Category
Liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges
Location
Pella, IA
Buena Vista, VA
Setting
Town
Town
Students
1,095
967
Sports
NCAA Division III · American Rivers Conference
NCAA Division III · USA South Athletic Conference
Admission
Admission rate
86%
96%
Average SAT
1147
Not reported
ACT middle 50%
20–26
Not reported
Outcomes
Graduation rate
66%
33%
First-year retention
80%
74%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$54,317
$50,002
Median debt
$26,984
$24,224
Cost
Average price after aid
$23,377
$22,213
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$16,231
$18,957
$30,001–$48,000
$16,237
$19,501
$48,001–$75,000
$19,532
$20,630
$75,001–$110,000
$21,936
$23,407
Over $110,000
$27,165
$27,108
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $89,838
- Accounting $86,868
- Business administration $68,021
- Biology $59,597
- Psychology $56,941
- Business (general) $56,726
- Liberal arts $40,419
- Psychology $36,808
- English $33,115
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.