Mars Hill University vs Lees-McRae College

Mars Hill University and Lees-McRae College, both located in the picturesque state of North Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences for prospective students. Mars Hill University, with an acceptance rate of 68%, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, including popular majors like Business Administration, Education, and Psychology. Lees-McRae College, on the other hand, has a slightly lower acceptance rate of 60% and is known for its strengths in fields such as Outdoor Recreation, Resort and Hospitality Management, and Sustainable Development. While both institutions offer a supportive learning environment, Mars Hill University's larger student body may appeal to those seeking a more vibrant campus life, while Lees-McRae College's smaller size might be preferred by those desiring a more intimate and personalized educational experience. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into key aspects of both universities, including graduation rates, tuition fees, and available financial aid options.

	Lees-McRae College	Mars Hill University
Overview
Location	Banner Elk, North Carolina	Mars Hill, North Carolina
Campus setting	Rural: Distant	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	67.0%	74.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian

Admission
Acceptance rate	59.2%	79.5%
Application fees	$25
SAT range	1040 - 1240	N/A
ACT range	20 - 26	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	17.0%
Students submitting ACT score	26.0%
Total number of applicants	1,777	1,713
Total number of admissions given out	1,052	1,362
Admitted students who chose to enroll	247	302
Yield rate	23.5%	22.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$43,040	$45,251
Average net price	$25,894	$18,717
Tuition	$26,490	$35,655
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,400 Meal plan: $6,150	$9,934
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $18,350	99.0% Average amount $27,309
Students receiving federal student loan	75.0% Average amount $6,664	74.0% Average amount $5,350
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $13,196	15.0% Average amount $14,231

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	872 Men 34.7% Women 65.3%	1,026 Men 49.2% Women 50.8%
Graduate students	1 Men 0.0% Women 100.0%	47 Men 48.9% Women 51.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	47.5%	40.0%
International students	3.3%	5.3%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Distant	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	680	839
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	North Carolina South Carolina Florida Virginia Georgia	North Carolina Georgia Florida South Carolina Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Biological and Biomedical Sciences Health Professions Education Public Administration and Social Service Business	Health Professions Education Law Enforcement and Firefighting Biological and Biomedical Sciences Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	40.4%	33.5%
Dropout rate	18.2%	37.9%
Transferred out	41.4%	28.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,914 Year 2: $63,935 Year 3: $66,973 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,268 Year 2: $44,649 Year 3: $49,738 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,351 Year 2: $34,393 Year 3: $36,519 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,325 Year 2: $28,816 Year 3: $36,175 Zoology/Animal Biology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $18,174 Year 2: $20,596 Year 3: $25,820 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,052 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,560 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $17,244 Year 2: $23,456 Year 3: N/A Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,980 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $26,739 Year 3: $40,958 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,795 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $36,962 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,637 Year 2: $32,391 Year 3: $36,750 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $36,437 Year 3: $36,608 Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,048 Year 2: $33,726 Year 3: $36,441 Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $41,205 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: N/A Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,836 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,645 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A

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