Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Berea College, Spelman College, Elon University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | BereaBerea, KY | SpelmanAtlanta, GA | ElonElon, NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 19.3% | 24.9% | 66.3% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1156–1335 | 1108–1320 | 1130–1280 |
| Average net price | $6,10683.7% on Pell grants | $38,96727.8% on Pell grants | $41,5559.9% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $51,658Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $31,556Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $46,958Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 58.2% | 78.5% | 84.0% |
| First-year retention | 79.2% | 94.1% | 89.8% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 83.7% | 27.8% | 9.9% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,150 | $59,993 | $74,545 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $3,591 | $25,000 | $20,500 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 9:1 | 11:1 | 11:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,513 | 3,414 | 6,452 |
| Consensus percentile | 25Lower is better | 31Lower is better | 26Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 64 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 70 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 13 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Berea | Spelman | Elon |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #45 of 207Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 | #37 of 207Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 | #117 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | #321 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #398 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #147 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #1 of 218Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 | #22 of 218Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 | Not ranked by this source |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | #184 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #155 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #345 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #306 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #471 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Listed |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
High-achieving students from low-income families — especially from Appalachia — who want a debt-free liberal arts degree and are prepared to work on campus every semester.
Admission requires demonstrated financial need; higher-income families are not eligible.
Full profileBlack women seeking an academically serious, mentorship-dense liberal arts environment — particularly those aiming at medicine, law or a STEM doctorate.
Median earnings of $59,993 partly reflect major mix and high graduate-school continuation.
Full profileStudents who learn through relationships and experience — study abroad, internships, mentored research — and who will actively use that infrastructure rather than assume the degree does the work.
Median earnings of $74,545 are modest relative to a $41,555 average net price.
Full profile