# Central College

Private nonprofit college in Pella, IA. IPEDS ID 153108.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-college · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/central-college.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 86% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $23,377 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 66%; beats 62% of IA colleges and 71% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $54,317; beats 40% of IA colleges and 53% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $20,815

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $16,231 |
| 30-48k | $16,237 |
| 48-75k | $19,532 |
| 75-110k | $21,936 |
| 110k+ | $27,165 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.15 years on average (59% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $54,317 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $16,231 | $67,359 | 3.8 years |
| 30-48k | $16,237 | $67,384 | 3.8 years |
| 48-75k | $19,532 | $81,058 | 4.6 years |
| 75-110k | $21,936 | $91,034 | 5.2 years |
| 110k+ | $27,165 | $112,735 | 6.4 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $37,773
- Tuition and fees: $20,988
- Housing and meals: $12,220; books: $1,275

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 528–560; SAT math: 528–560; ACT: 20–26 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 1,978 applicants, 1,562 admitted, 274 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 86%, ACT 20–26 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 79%, ACT 19–25 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (36 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | not reported | $89,838 | not reported |
| Accounting | $58,850 | $86,868 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $55,760 | $68,021 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $26,933 | $59,597 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $29,923 | $56,941 | $27,000 |
| Sociology | $38,034 | $51,996 | $25,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $35,914 | $51,814 | $27,000 |
| Communications | not reported | $51,671 | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $44,000 | $50,707 | $27,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Information Science / Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $30,211 | not reported | $27,000 |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physiology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Natural Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International / Global Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Anthropology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Management Science / Analytics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage not reported (metro), $85,530 (IA), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher: median wage not reported (metro), $60,580 (IA), $63,970 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).