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Elsah , IL
Principia College is a private liberal arts college located in Elsah, Illinois. Established in 1912, the college is affiliated with the Christian Science Church. The focus of Principia College is on providing a challenging academic environment where students can develop their intellectual, spiritual, and ethical capacities.
At Principia College, students have the opportunity to pursue a range of majors and minors in fields such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and fine arts. The college's curriculum is designed to emphasize critical thinking, clear communication, and experiential learning. With a low student-to-faculty ratio, students benefit from personalized attention and guidance from professors who are committed to their success.
Additionally, Principia College places a strong emphasis on character development and spiritual growth. The college's commitment to the teachings of Christian Science is reflected in its mission to empower students to live principled lives of strong moral integrity. Students are encouraged to explore ethical, moral, and spiritual issues and to develop values that will guide them in their personal and professional lives.
Overall, Principia College provides a holistic education that combines intellectual rigor with spiritual development. With a strong academic program and a supportive community, students at Principia College are prepared to make positive contributions to society and to lead principled lives.
Located in Elsah, IL and set in a rural environment, Principia College is a private four-year college. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 42%. The freshman retention rate at Principia College is 82.14% and the six-year graduation rate is 75%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is June 15. For transfer students, the application deadline is June 15.
To find out more about what Principia College has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
339
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$34,800
Tuition
6:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
75%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to find out as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the institution in order to maximize your chances of being accepted. Check out some relevant data about admission policy and requirements at Principia College.
According to the newest data, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 141 in 2025. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
35% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 22% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 6% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 42% between 1,200 and 1,399, 42% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 17% of the students between 800 and 999. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 7, 40 between 24-29, 53 in the range between 18-23, and 18 between 12-17.
The average ACT score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 24 and the average GPA was 3.63. Accordingly, you'll probably need an above-average GPA in order to be granted acceptance, as well as an above-average ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 581 and an average SAT Math score of 565.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by June 15. If you plan on applying as a transfer student, note that the application deadline is June 15.
Retention Rate
The percentage of freshmen at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. When you make your list of possible schools to attend, you should consider the freshman retention rate, among other things.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Principia College was 82.14%, a clear indication of the excellence and value of the educational experience at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It provides valuable insight into the percentage of students who complete their studies within a designated timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 75%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the right fit for you is not an easy task. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by finding out more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 339 students.
The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 339, 139 of which were international students. The school admitted a total of 21 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 199 male and 140 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 3 Asian students and 36 Afro-American students in 2025. 17 undergrads at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 16 identified with more than one race. There were also 8 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before sending an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into consideration. Here are some important facts on Principia College costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at Principia College? Here is what you need to know.
In 2025, tuition amounted to $34,800 for all full-time domestic students. Principia College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were required to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,130.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to consider the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The approximate expense of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $1,000.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
In 2025, room and board cost at Principia College amounted to $14,360 a year. If you only wanted a dorm room, you had to pay $7,180 for the 2025 academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was also $7,180.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 34,800 |
| Room and Board | $ 14,360 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,000 |
| Total Expense | $ 50,160 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial help for students. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Principia College, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent records show that 62 freshmen received some sort of financial help. Students of this school received an average of $35,755 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
277 students were awarded some form of need-based financial aid. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 305.
$11,500
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 310 students overall (including freshmen) at Principia College in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 58 full-time freshmen. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $5,060,884. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
Majors
Faculty
6:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Principia College was 6:1: that means 6 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The faculty of this school consists of 71 members, according to the most recent data reported. Out of that number, there were 38 male and 33 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Principia College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some information about campus life at Principia College.
Its campus is 2,600 acres in size.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
According to recently gathered data, there are 34 open-membership organizations at Principia College. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is Student Government, followed by Rugby Club and Solidarity (Multi-club group). Other popular organizations among the students at Principia College are Community Service Team and Christian Science Organization.
In case you're interested in acting, there is a drama club you can consider joining. For students looking to explore media and communication, Principia College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Principia College offers a number of services necessary for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. There is a medical clinic. All in all, campus life at Principia College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Principia College.
Career Counselling
At Principia College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career.
FAQ
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Principia College is located in Elsah, IL.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 34,800 USD per academic year for Principia College.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Principia College is 42%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Principia College is 82.14%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
