About

About Central

Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year college known for its academic and athletic excellence, affordability, experiential learning, engaged citizenship and a diverse liberal arts education. The Central experience is rooted in exploration and self-discovery and enhanced by unique traditions that shape life in a community of 1,100 students. Founded in 1853, the college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the American Rivers Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa’s largest lake.

Central’s home of Pella, Iowa, is a thriving community of more than 10,000. Pella impressively appears on multiple lists of “Charming American Towns You Haven’t Heard Of But Should Visit.” The community is famous for its annual Tulip Time Festival, its Dutch pastries and its fully functional 1850s-style windmill. In fact, Pella has it all! Pella is the corporate headquarters of several international companies, including Vermeer Corporation, Pella Corporation, Precision Pulley and Idler (PPI), Lely North America and Heritage Lace.

Read more about our welcome statement here

 

Vision Statement

Central College opens minds to knowledge, hearts to service and doors to the future.

 

Mission Statement

Central College is a welcoming learning community committed to vigorous and open inquiry as the best preparation for lives of integrity, creativity and adaptability. Our students learn collaboratively with supportive educators who share a commitment to intellectual engagement, personal growth, career readiness and civic involvement.

Shaped by its Christian heritage, Central College values inclusivity, humility, kindness and hospitality, and invites learners of all backgrounds and faiths to join us in the pursuit of knowledge, opportunity and fulfillment.

 

Location

Pella, Iowa, is just 40 minutes southeast of Iowa’s capital city of Des Moines and minutes from Lake Red Rock. Pella is a thriving community of more than 10,000 and home to several large international companies such as Pella Corporation (Pella Windows), Vermeer Corporation, Precision Pulley and Idler (PPI) and Heritage Lace. The city of Pella is known for its pride in its Dutch heritage, consistent tourism and the annual Tulip Time Festival that brings more than 200,000 visitors each year.

 

Brief History

Founded in 1853 by a determined group of pioneer settlers, Central College has always been committed to the ideals of liberal education. Central was originally a Baptist institution, and its founders immigrated to central Iowa to escape religious tyranny in the Netherlands.

Central College officially opened Oct. 8, 1854, with a class of 37. The campus consisted of one two-story building containing three rudimentary classrooms. This fledgling institution grew both in size and mission during its first 60 years, eventually moving to a parcel of land donated by Pella’s founding father, Dominie Pieter Scholte. The college survived fires, wars and economic depression during a period of history that saw the United States double in size. It remained solvent because of the faith and dedication of its early faculty members, some of whom accepted produce from local farms as payment.

In 1916, Central became affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. As its academic reputation grew, Central attracted many more students from outside the denomination.

International study programs were introduced in 1965, strengthening an institutional emphasis on cross-cultural study. Today, Central continues to encourage students to develop a global perspective and joins with study abroad programs at universities around the world. Students also gain a world view through off-campus programs.

Over the college’s history, Central has expanded its footprint and academic programs to endow students with the skills that create and sustain successful careers. No matter what building you are in on campus, you benefit from generous alumni and donors who have contributed financially to expand and modernize the Central campus.

 

Accreditation

Central College is a member of:

  • Higher Learning Commission
  • American Chemical Society
  • Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education
  • Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET
  • Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
  • National Association of Schools of Music
  • State of Iowa Board of Education

The list of Central’s accreditation by category can be found here.

 

Environmental Mission

Central College is a leader in environmental stewardship in Iowa and the Midwest. Central students have opportunities to learn and foster sustainable habits. Sustainability education is infused throughout the college’s academic curriculum and everyday life. Students live and learn in LEED-certified green buildings, develop sustainability research and eat local foods in Central Market. Learn how Central remains committed to the environment and campus sustainability efforts here.

 

Fast Facts

Central College, founded in 1853 and located in Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year college with a culture of personal excellence, inclusion and empathy. To read more about how Central strives to include all, see our welcome statement.

Majorly obsessed with your future. Central offers academic programs in the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities and interdisciplinary programs. Central is committed to providing for the academic interests of incoming students, leading to several new programs, including our newest data science major. B.S. degrees are available in several programs, such as accounting, engineering, biology and more in addition to the B.A. degrees offered. Our ABET-accredited engineering major (B.S. only) has attracted students from across the United States. The college also has many professional programs and more than a dozen pre-professional tracks including dentistry, pharmacy, law, medicine, nursing, athletic training, physical therapy and more. Plus, even if you don’t see your major listed, you can still design your own.

Central invests in you. Central’s commitment to affordability is supported by its practice of awarding financial aid to more than 99% of its students. New first-year and transfer students automatically receive a Journey Scholarship.

It’s all about you. With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, faculty and students enjoy a personalized teaching and mentoring environment. The average class size is 19 students. All that leads to classroom interactions that are more than just shouting across a lecture hall.

You’ll be surrounded by the best. All classes are taught by professors, not teaching assistants, and 81% of faculty members have earned a doctorate or other terminal degree. Our professors know their stuff and make time for their students. One of our professors, Terence Kleven, the Jacob and Gela Schnucker Sessler Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar twice. And Jay Wackerly, associate professor of chemistry, has won a prestigious grant from the National Science Foundation to study quinone-based macrocyclic systems for supramolecular applications. Sounds impressive, right? In addition to outstanding faculty, your peers seek success and will challenge you to do more than just “get by” in the classroom.

We Do Things the Central Way. The Central Way strives to do undergrad education right. That’s why 92% of graduates complete their degree in four years or less.

Opportunity = success. Students have tons of opportunities to do 1:1 research with our faculty who know amazing things — like their students’ names. Plus, more than 90% of Central students complete an internship, off-campus study, research or community service experience. All that training leads to Central graduates earning an average of nearly $6,000 more than graduates of other colleges five years after graduation, according to Niche.com.

Employers know Central graduates get the job done. Nearly 100% of Central’s graduates are employed in a field of interest, enrolled in graduate or professional school or are engaged in meaningful volunteer work (like the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, etc.) within one year of graduation.

Your passport to the world. Central opens doors to new ideas and perspectives by helping you see classroom concepts come to life in the real world. For decades, Central has provided numerous experiential learning opportunities and off-campus experiences around the globe.

Incoming students’ academic credentials:

  • Average GPA: 3.58
  • Top 25% of their high school graduating class: 54%
  • Enter with AP or college credit: 69%

Real-world experience. Students pursue community service and internships, and 76% of Central’s students complete internships before graduation. Internships are available as part of a program in Washington, D.C., as well as hundreds of sites nearby and study abroad programs.

Our Commitment. Central is committed to undergraduate education, and 94% of graduates complete their degree in four years or less.

Be part of a of something bigger. Many extracurricular options encourage student involvement at Central, with 100+ student involvement opportunities available to nurture leadership, relationship-building and new adventures with your new best friends.

 

Campus Community

Your education is a relationship. Central’s academic community is dedicated to educating undergraduate students. Nearly 100 faculty and 350 staff members, full- and part-time, serve approximately 1,100 undergraduates. The power of the Central global network through alumni, parents, donors and corporate partners brings significant opportunities for the college and its students to thrive in and out of the classroom.

Committed to social justice and inclusion. Central’s BELONG initiative is a campus-wide effort involving faculty, staff and students who work in teams to actively engage the community and make recommendations to advance diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life at Central via interaction, sponsoring education and training opportunities and convening members of the campus community in supportive dialogue. The college’s shared commitment is to explore human difference and diversity, ensure equitable treatment for all and promote inclusive participation.

Be more than a spectator. Being a Central student on campus means being involved; Over half of Central’s students participate in intercollegiate athletics and many more are involved with fine arts opportunities or participate in clubs and intramurals across campus.

Up your game. Central competes at the NCAA Division III level and is a member of the American Rivers Conference. The Dutch have won:

  • 500+ All-America Awards
  • 11 NCAA Division III Titles in Six Sports
  • 43 NCAA Individual Championships
  • 192 Conference Team Championships
  • 91 CSC Academic All-American® Awards
  • 25 Conference All-Sports Titles
  • 28 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Winners

Central’s student-athletes and coaches are dominant. Every year, 100+ Central student-athletes receive academic all-conference recognition, a distinction reserved for varsity level competitors who are of sophomore standing with a 3.5 or better GPA. Since 1974, Central’s coaches have been recognized 149 times as the conference coach of the year.

The show starts with you. All Central students may perform in a variety of ensembles, ranging from classical to jazz to pop. The Mills Gallery showcases art exhibitions throughout the year, including student exhibits in the spring. Theatre performances involve students in every part of stage production, with a handful of major productions annually, including musical theatre. A wide range of campus life opportunities, including many linked to volunteering and community service, also draw in many students. Like we said, you can’t just watch it all happen here.

 

Selected Rankings and Recognition

Central College

  • #2 Best Value College in Iowa — Niche, 2026
  • #4 Best Liberal Arts College in Iowa — Niche, 2026
  • #4 Best College Athletics in Iowa – Niche, 2026
  • #6 Best Christian College in Iowa — Niche, 2026
  • One of America’s Best Colleges — Money Magazine, 2025
  • Top 25% of Best Colleges #54 — Wallet Hub, 2026
  • #131 National Liberal Arts Colleges — U.S. News and World Report, 2025
  • One of the Best College Food in Iowa — Niche, 2026
  • One of the Top 10 Private University in Iowa — Niche, 2026
  • One of the Best Value and Most Affordable Colleges in Iowa — Research.com, 2026
  • One of the Best Value Colleges in America for Accounting and Business Management — College Factual, 2024
  • One of the Best Colleges for Environmental Science in Iowa — EduRank, Niche, Universities.com, Appliy, 2024
  • One of the Best Colleges for Education in Iowa — Appliy, Niche, 2024
  • One of the Best Undergrad Engineering Programs — U.S. News and World Report, 2024
  • One of the Best Colleges or Universities in Iowa — Wallet Hub, U.S. News and World Report, 2024

 

Pella, Iowa

  • The Friendliest Town to Visit in Iowa — World Atlas, 2025
  • One of 8 Most Charming Town Squares in Iowa — World Atlas, 2025
  • One of the Best Places to Live in Iowa — Niche.com, 2026 #20
  • One of the Best College Towns in Iowa — HomeSnacks, 2025 #8
  • #7 Best High Schools in Iowa — U.S. News & World Report, 2025-2026
  • #26 One of the Best Places to Live in Iowa — Niche.com, 2026
  • One of Oprah’s 60 Charming American Towns You Haven’t Heard of But Should Visit ASAP — Oprah Daily

 

Des Moines, Iowa

  • Top 10 Best College Towns in Iowa — Collegesnacks, 2025
  • Among Top Best Cities for Young Professionals in America — Niche.com, 2025
  • Top Cities with the Lowest Cost of Living in America — Niche.com, 2025
  • #15 of the Best Cities for Young Professionals in America — Homebuyer.com, 2025
  • #2 Top 10 Places for Young Professionals to Live — Forbes, 2024
  • #2 Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Large Metro Areas) — Bestplaces.net, 2023
  • #4 of the Best Cities for Young Professionals — Homebuyer.com, 2023

 

Notable Alumni

See more Central alumni success stories.

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