Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) vs Anderson University

Southern Wesleyan University and Anderson University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in South Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. Southern Wesleyan, a private Christian university, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it more accessible to a broader range of students. Anderson, on the other hand, is a private liberal arts university with a more selective admissions process. While Southern Wesleyan excels in programs like business, education, and nursing, Anderson shines in areas such as engineering, computer science, and the arts. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Anderson University logo

Anderson University

Southern Wesleyan University logo

Southern Wesleyan University

Overview

Location Anderson, South Carolina Central, South Carolina
Campus setting City: Small 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 85.0% 72.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Baptist Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 50.3% 56.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $40
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $25
SAT range N/A 980 - 1168
ACT range N/A 18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 45.0%
Students submitting ACT score 36.0%
Total number of applicants 4,510 749
Total number of admissions given out 2,268 424
Admitted students who chose to enroll 776 163
Yield rate 34.2% 38.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $48,308 $35,643
Average net price $21,643 $19,479
Tuition $27,480 $25,748
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,570

Meal plan: $5,330
Room/dormitory: $4,234

Meal plan: $5,018
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $23,514
100.0%
Average amount $18,506
Students receiving federal student loan 54.0%
Average amount $5,391
68.0%
Average amount $5,469
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $9,984
12.0%
Average amount $8,327

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,157
Men 31.6% Women 68.4%
1,043
Men 33.9% Women 66.1%
Graduate students 851
Men 45.6% Women 54.4%
257
Men 20.2% Women 79.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 23.4% N/A
International students 0.6% 1.2%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,637 570
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina North Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Theology
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Education
  • Liberal Arts
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 63.7% 52.1%
Dropout rate 36.1% 47.9%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,305
  • Year 2: $61,020
  • Year 3: $74,436
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,984
  • Year 2: $57,657
  • Year 3: $60,870
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,932
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $54,130
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,983
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $52,483
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,090
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $49,945
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,500
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $44,204
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,262
  • Year 2: $37,748
  • Year 3: $40,697
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,785
  • Year 2: $38,134
  • Year 3: $38,067
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,964
  • Year 2: $37,363
  • Year 3: $37,856
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,480
  • Year 2: $36,275
  • Year 3: $37,052
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,550
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $55,845
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,273
  • Year 2: $44,021
  • Year 3: $48,165
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,512
  • Year 2: $46,556
  • Year 3: $47,813
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,583
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $44,880
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,637
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $43,594
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,018
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: $34,205
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $18,309
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,561
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,138
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,120
  • Year 2: $24,035
  • Year 3: N/A

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