Central College
Central College at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Central College Featured Rankings
About Central College
According to Wikipedia, Central College is a private college located in Pella, Iowa, and affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. The college was founded in 1853 and has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1942. Central has a student body of approximately 1,100 undergraduates and 73 academic programs.
Central College Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,978 | 86% | 80% | 59% | 1088 | 23 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Central College Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $21,934 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $16,038 |
| 30K - 48K | $13,545 |
| 48K - 75K | $17,397 |
| 75K - 110K | $22,140 |
| 110K+ | $26,636 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Central College Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Central College students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $57,387 a year, and 96% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Central College 's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads |
|---|---|
| 1,235 | 1,235 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Central College ?
Central College is located at 812 University, Pella, IA 50219.
How Safe is Central College ?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Central College publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Central College has a violent crime rate of 0.46% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Pella has a violent crime rate of 0.11% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 0.95%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Central College Known For?
Central College is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Philosophy
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Communications
- Physics
- Religious Studies
- History
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Computer Science
- Business
- Education
- Engineering
Central College 's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Central College 's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Central College ranks #399 in the U.S. and #1324 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesCentral College ranks #679 in the U.S. and #3167 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesCentral College ranks #946 in the U.S. and #4053 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesCentral College ranks #963 in the U.S. and #4159 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesCentral College ranks #967 in the U.S. and #3228 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesCentral College ranks #1227 in the U.S. and #4637 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesCentral College ranks #1538 in the U.S. and #5842 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesCentral College ranks #1545 in the U.S. and #7036 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesCentral College ranks #1631 in the U.S. and #5271 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesCentral College ranks #1634 in the U.S. and #5031 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesCentral College ranks #1933 in the U.S. and #7147 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesCentral College ranks #2017 in the U.S. and #5347 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesCentral College ranks #2041 in the U.S. and #5758 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesCentral College ranks #2154 in the U.S. and #8384 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesCentral College ranks #2408 in the U.S. and #8604 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesCentral College ranks #2438 in the U.S. and #9018 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesCentral College ranks #3145 in the U.S. and #12925 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesWho Are Central College 's Most Influential Alumni?
Central College 's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Philosophy, Chemistry, and Sociology. Here are some of Central College 's most famous alumni:
- John Hospers
- An American philosopher and politician .
- Steve Bell
- An American journalist and educator.
- Wendell L. Roelofs
- A Developed insect sex attractants for agricultural pest control.
- Marcus Lee Hansen
- An American historian .
- Harry Smith
- An American television journalist.
- George Alfred Baitsell
- An American biologist .
- Antônio Roberto Monteiro Simões
- A Linguist.
