What families actually pay
Average yearly net price after grants, all students, by family income
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard · data snapshot October 2, 2026
AP credit
Most-taken exams, lowest score that earns credit| Exam | Min score | Central College course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 4 | MATH 131: Calculus I (EXP3, MR) 4 s.h. | |
| Calculus BC | 4 | MATH 131/132: Calculus I & II (EXP3, MR) 8 s.h. | |
| Biology | 4 | BIOL 100AP: Biology Elective (EXP3, NS) 4 s.h. | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 111: General Chemistry (EXP3, NS) 4 s.h. | |
| Physics 1 | 4 | PHYS 101: Introductory Physics I (NS) 4 s.h. | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | WRIT 101: Composition (WRT) 3 s.h. | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | ENGL 100AP: English Elective (LP) 3 s.h. | |
| Psychology | 4 | PSYC 122: General Psychology (SB) 3 s.h. |
Show all 34 exams and every score level
| Exam | Min score | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 4 | MATH 131: Calculus I (EXP3, MR) 4 s.h. | |
| Calculus BC | 4 | MATH 131/132: Calculus I & II (EXP3, MR) 8 s.h. | |
| Biology | 4 | BIOL 100AP: Biology Elective (EXP3, NS) 4 s.h. | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 111: General Chemistry (EXP3, NS) 4 s.h. | |
| Physics 1 | 4 | PHYS 101: Introductory Physics I (NS) 4 s.h. | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | WRIT 101: Composition (WRT) 3 s.h. | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | ENGL 100AP: English Elective (LP) 3 s.h. | |
| Psychology | 4 | PSYC 122: General Psychology (SB) 3 s.h. | |
| Statistics | 4 | MATH 215: Introduction to Statistics (EXP3, MR) 4 s.h. | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | COSC 110: Introduction to Computer Science (EXP3) 3 s.h. | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | ECON 113: Principles of Macroeconomics (SB) 3 s.h. | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | ECON 112: Principles of Microeconomics (SB) 3 s.h. | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | HIST 126: World History Since 1500 (EXP1, HP, GPN) 3 s.h. | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | ENVS 120: Intro to Environmental Science (EXP3…ENVS 120: Intro to Environmental Science (EXP3, GS, NS) 4 s.h. | |
| Physics 2 | 4 | PHYS 102: Introductory Physics II (NS) 4 s.h. | |
| European History | 4 | HIST 100AP: History Elective (EXP1, HP) 3 s.h. | |
| Human Geography | 4 | GEOG 210: Human Geography (SB) 3 s.h. | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | SPAN 121/122: Beginning Spanish I & II 8 s.h. | |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | COSC 100AP: Computer Science Elective 3 s.h. | |
| Art History | 4 | ART 100AP: Art Elective (ART) 3 s.h. | |
| Music Theory | 4 | MUS 100AP: Music Elective 3 s.h. | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | POLS 100AP: Political Science Elective (SB) 3 s.h. | |
| Drawing | 4 | ART 100AP: Art Elective (ART) 3 s.h. | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | FREN 121/122: Beginning French I & II 8 s.h. | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | GERM 121/122: Beginning German I & II 8 s.h. | |
| Government and Politics: U. S | 4 | POLS 110: Introduction to American Politics (SB) 3 s.h. | |
| Latin | 4 | LAT 121/122: Beginning Latin I & II 6 s.h. | |
| Latin | 4 | LAT 121/122: Beginning Latin I & II 6 s.h. | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | PHYS 112: General Physics II (NS) 5 s.h. | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | PHYS 111: General Physics I (EXP3, NS) 5 s.h. | |
| Precalculus | 4 | MATH 109: Pre-Calculus 4 s.h. | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | SPAN 221/222: Intermediate Spanish I & II (EXP1, GPN) 8 s.h. | |
| Studio Art: 2D Design | 4 | ART 151AP: 2D Problem Solving (ART) 3 s.h. | |
| Studio Art: 3D Design | 4 | ART 161AP: 3-D Problem Solving (ART) 3 s.h. | |
| U.S. History | 4 | HIST 130 US History to 1877/131: US History Since…HIST 130 US History to 1877/131: US History Since 1877. Students with U.S. History AP may receive credit for HIST-130 or HIST-131 (not both). (EXP1, HP) 3 s.h. |
Source: departments.central.edu · checked September 23, 2026
Biggest majors
| Major | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | 37 |
| Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology | 35 |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 19 |
| Psychology | 17 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 16 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences | 13 |
| Accounting | 12 |
| Political Science and Government | 9 |
Show the other 19 majors
| Sociology | 8 |
| Engineering | 8 |
| Computer Science | 8 |
| Biochemistry | 7 |
| Environmental Studies | 6 |
| Music | 6 |
| Information Science/Studies | 4 |
| English Language and Literature | 4 |
| Art/Art Studies | 4 |
| History | 4 |
| Mathematics | 3 |
| Chemistry | 3 |
| Social Sciences | 3 |
| Actuarial Science | 2 |
| Musical Theatre | 2 |
| Economics | 2 |
| Philosophy | 2 |
| Music Teacher Education | 2 |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 1 |
Bachelor’s graduates, first major, most recent year · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Scholarships
Amounts and eligibility change; check the college’s page for current details.
Sports and campus life
Men’s varsity · NCAA Division III, American Rivers Conference
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Track and Field (Indoor), Track and Field (Outdoor), Wrestling
Women’s varsity · NCAA Division III, American Rivers Conference
Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Other Sports, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field (Indoor), Track and Field (Outdoor), Volleyball, Wrestling
Faith groups
InterVarsity, Newman Connection
Also
Study abroad
Greek life
34% of men in fraternities · 6% of women in sororities · 21% of undergraduates overall (Common Data Set 2024–25)
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education athletics data (EADA), Common Data Set (Greek life), intervarsity.org · checked September 4, 2026 · data snapshot October 2, 2026
The place
Setting
Town, distant
Federal locale classification
Metro area
Pella, IA
34,048 people
Big-city metro (1 million+)
No
More about the place
Nearest airport
Des Moines International (DSM)
Nearest hub airport
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Walkability
EPA walkability index 7.7 of 20
Elevation
877 ft
Time zone
Central
January low
12°F
July high
85°F
Annual snowfall
28.7 in
Days at 90°F or higher
20 per year
One-bedroom fair market rent
$960 per month
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education (IPEDS locale), U.S. Census metro estimates, NOAA climate normals, HUD fair market rents, EPA walkability · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Colleges nearby
- William Penn University16 mi
- Grinnell College26 mi
- Simpson College33 mi
- Grand View University38 mi
- Drake University40 mi
- Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary43 mi
Straight-line distance between campuses
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit, town campus, NCAA Division III, similar size
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- Simpson College1,140 students