Central College graduates achieve above-average long-term earnings that place the institution among the top quarter of colleges nationally for return on investment.
The college's exceptional loan repayment performance, including a 0% default rate, demonstrates graduates' financial stability and career preparation.
Central College ranks as a solid choice among small private colleges, delivering above-average long-term earnings outcomes that place it in the 74th percentile nationally for return on investment. Located in Pella, Iowa, this small liberal arts institution serves about 21% Pell Grant recipients and 21% first-generation students, reflecting a more selective student body typical of private colleges in the region.
What distinguishes Central College is its ability to help graduates achieve meaningful financial success despite its modest size and liberal arts focus. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $54,317, which represents strong performance for a small Iowa college. The institution's graduates also demonstrate exceptional loan repayment behavior, with borrowers paying down balances much faster than national averages and maintaining a 0% federal loan default rate.
As a small private nonprofit college, Central College offers the personalized educational experience that many families seek, combined with career preparation that translates into solid post-graduation outcomes. The college's strength in business administration, combined with its liberal arts foundation in fields like biology and education, provides students with both broad intellectual development and practical career preparation that serves them well in Iowa's economy and beyond.
Central College's program portfolio reflects a classic liberal arts approach with practical career preparation, led by strong performance in business, biology, and education fields. Business Administration and Management serves as the college's economic engine, combining solid enrollment of 33 graduates with competitive earnings around $44,542 ten years out, making it both popular and financially rewarding for students.
Biology represents the college's largest program with 36 graduates, though early earnings of $32,119 reflect the field's typical trajectory toward graduate school, healthcare training, or research positions that often require additional education before reaching full earning potential. Adult and Continuing Education, while smaller with 20 graduates, produces solid outcomes at $38,721, demonstrating Central College's effectiveness in preparing education professionals for Iowa's schools and continuing education sector.
The college's program mix emphasizes depth over breadth, focusing on fields where small class sizes and personalized attention can make a meaningful difference in student preparation. This concentrated approach appears to work well for Central College, as evidenced by graduates' exceptional loan repayment performance and 0% default rate, suggesting that students receive career guidance and financial literacy that serves them well regardless of their chosen field.
Central College graduates achieve solid long-term financial outcomes that reflect the value of a liberal arts education combined with practical career preparation. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $54,317, placing the college in the 74th percentile nationally for earnings outcomes. While this represents strong performance for a small private college in Iowa, graduates earn somewhat less than what statistical models would predict based on student characteristics, suggesting that outcomes vary significantly by chosen field of study.
The college's program mix drives much of this variation in outcomes. Business Administration and Management stands out as both a popular major with 33 graduates and the highest aggregate return program, with graduates earning around $44,542 ten years out. Biology, the college's largest program with 36 graduates, shows more modest early earnings at $32,119, reflecting the field's typical trajectory toward graduate school or entry-level positions in healthcare and research. Adult and Continuing Education graduates, though fewer in number at 20 students, earn approximately $38,721, demonstrating the college's strength in preparing education professionals.
What makes Central College particularly noteworthy is how well graduates manage their financial obligations after graduation. The college maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, and borrowers pay down their loan balances exceptionally quickly—much faster than national averages. This suggests that while initial earnings may be moderate, graduates develop strong financial management skills and career stability that serve them well over time.
Central College's affordability varies significantly by family income, with net prices that reflect its private college positioning while still providing meaningful financial aid. Low-income families pay approximately $14,745 annually after aid, which represents substantial support but still requires significant financial commitment. Middle-income families see net prices around $19,418, while higher-income families pay about $25,764 per year, reflecting the college's full cost structure.
The debt picture at Central College requires careful family planning, as typical graduates leave with $26,984 in federal student loan debt, and families often supplement this with Parent PLUS loans averaging $23,800. Combined, this represents a substantial financial investment that families should weigh against the college's outcomes and their own financial capacity. However, the college's exceptional loan repayment performance—with a 0% default rate and borrowers paying down balances much faster than national averages—suggests that graduates develop both the earning capacity and financial discipline needed to manage their obligations successfully.
What helps make Central College's debt levels sustainable is the combination of solid post-graduation earnings and the financial literacy that seems to characterize its graduates. The college's small size and personalized attention may contribute to better financial planning and career preparation, helping students make informed decisions about borrowing and career paths that align with their debt obligations.
Central College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
