Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Bluffton University, Southwest Baptist University, Ripon College. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Bluffton UniversityBluffton, OH | Southwest BaptistBolivar, MO | RiponRipon, WI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 67.2% | 68.4% | 79.8% |
| SAT middle 50% | 860–1130 | 810–1210 | 980–1270 |
| Average net price | $19,94344.7% on Pell grants | $21,67736.3% on Pell grants | $20,21633.8% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $37,362Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $30,566Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $51,900Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.9% | 55.3% | 63.3% |
| First-year retention | 59.6% | 64.8% | 72.3% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 44.7% | 36.3% | 33.8% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,547 | $43,112 | $54,902 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 | $20,957 | $27,000 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 | 12:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 582 | 1,341 | 688 |
| Consensus percentile | 50Lower is better | 50Lower is better | 51Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 50 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 40 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 22 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 | Bluffton University | Southwest Baptist | Ripon |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #29 of 94Regional colleges (Midwest)Regional Colleges (Midwest) · 2026 | #122 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #136 of 210Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | #1215 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #657 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #666 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #1028 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #879 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1119 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | 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 |
Students comparing Bluffton University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Southwest Baptist University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Ripon College on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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