Ecclesia College

Academics at Ecclesia are defined by intimate scale and a deliberate integration of faith and learning. The college offers a limited selection of undergraduate degrees, with Business Administration and Management standing out as its most popular major. The institutional identity is captured in its description of being 'built for students who want more than a degree... they want biblical grounding, practical skills, personal support, and a clearer sense.' This mission is delivered through a very low 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, ensuring close mentorship. However, the college struggles significantly with student persistence, as reflected in its low first-year retention rate. The academic structure appears to be evolving, with recent graduating classes showing a mix of bachelor's and associate degrees.

• Student-Faculty Ratio: 10:1
• Most Popular Major: Business Administration and Management, General.
• First-Year Retention Rate: 41%
• Recent Graduating Class (2025): Comprised of 38 students, with 28.9% earning bachelor's degrees and 71.1% earning associate degrees.

Life at Ecclesia is an all-encompassing, communal experience centered on Christian spiritual formation. The college explicitly states that student life is shaped by community, work-learning-service, mentoring, spiritual formation, athletics, music, and everyday opportunities to grow. With only 138 undergraduate students in a rural Arkansas setting, the campus atmosphere is described as a 'positive and encouraging' environment where students make lifelong friends. The college is currently experiencing a profound spiritual revival, a theme heavily emphasized across its communications, aimed at empowering students to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ and serve others. Campus housing costs an average of $6,000 per year. Reviews of campus life note a 'C+' grade, based on factors like campus diversity and social scene.

• Undergraduate Enrollment: 138 students.
• Setting: Rural.
• Annual Campus Housing Cost: ~$6,000.
• Core Pillars: Community, work-learning-service, mentoring, and spiritual formation.

Post-graduation outcomes at Ecclesia College are challenging, with graduation rates that rank among the lowest nationally. The overall graduation rate places the institution in the bottom 15% of comparable schools. There is a significant gender disparity, with women graduating at a higher rate than men, though still ranking in the bottom 25%. Different sources report varying figures over time, from 17% to 37%, but all point to a profound struggle with student completion. A specific cohort analysis for students starting in Fall 2017 showed a 28% graduation rate. The most recent graduating class of 2025 was small, with only 38 students, the majority of whom earned associate degrees.

Ecclesia College is moderately priced for a private institution, with a significant portion of students receiving grant aid to reduce the net price. The college provides a Net Price Calculator for families to estimate their actual costs after accounting for scholarships and grants. 97% of students receive some form of grant aid, with the average institutional grant being $4,991 and the average total student grant aid package at $7,949. Over half of the student body (53%) benefits from federal Pell Grants, indicating a population with significant financial need. Financial aid eligibility requires demonstrated financial need and U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status. The college's aid materials do not describe a 'no-loan' policy or a commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans.

• % of Students Receiving Grant Aid: 97%
• Average Institutional Grant: $4,991
• Average Student Grant Aid: $7,949
• % Receiving Federal Pell Grants: 53%
• Aid Eligibility: Based on demonstrated financial need and citizenship status.

Ecclesia College stands out as a singularly focused institution for students seeking an all-in, faith-first college experience. It is not a place for academic exploration or secular career networking; it is a tight-knit spiritual incubator where biblical grounding is the explicit core of every degree and community activity. The 'work-learning-service' model integrates practical labor and spiritual discipline into daily life, a rarity in modern higher education. Its astonishingly high yield rate (84%) suggests it perfectly identifies and attracts its niche—students who are all-in on its mission before they even arrive. While its academic outcomes and graduation rates are severe weaknesses by conventional measures, they are almost secondary to its primary function: forming committed Christian disciples within an intimate, supportive, and currently revival-focused community. For the right student, it offers a level of personalized mentorship and spiritual intensity that is impossible to find at larger, more traditional Christian colleges.