Benedictine University vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Benedictine University or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Benedictine University or Northwestern College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Benedictine University vs. Northwestern College comparison
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Benedictine University
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Overview

Benedictine University Northwestern College
Location Lisle, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,123 3,253
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #560 #554
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ben.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Benedictine University Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $32,700 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $32,700 $34,490
Room & Board $10,266 $10,644
Avg Net Price $25,658 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $20,083 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Benedictine University Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,746 1,349
Admitted 2,557 1,248
Acceptance Rate 93.1% 92.5%
Enrolled % 16.6% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.26 3.58
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/28 21/28
SAT Range 1050/1280 1015/1311
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Benedictine University Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (45%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

Benedictine University Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 49% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,800 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,300 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $230 $228

Diversity

Benedictine University Northwestern College
% Men 44% 39%
% Women 56% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 84%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 16% 1%

Students

Benedictine University Northwestern College
% In-State 69% 77%
% Out-of-State 30% 22%

Campus

Benedictine University Northwestern College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern College is larger than than Benedictine University based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 3,123 students)

Benedictine University vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Benedictine University or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 5.5% more expensive to attend than Benedictine University for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $32,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.5% higher at Northwestern College than Benedictine University ($34,490.00 vs. $32,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Benedictine University than Northwestern College ($25,658 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Benedictine University are 3.7% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($10,266 vs. $10,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Benedictine University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 2% larger than aid received Benedictine University ($20,487 vs. $20,083)

Benedictine University vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Benedictine University or Northwestern College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern College or Benedictine University .

  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at Benedictine University (3.26)
  • Benedictine University has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than Northwestern College (92.5%)

Benedictine University vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Benedictine University or Northwestern College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Northwestern College and Benedictine University.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Benedictine University (64% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Benedictine University earn on average $11,700 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($52,800 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $230 lower median federal student loan debt than Benedictine University graduates. ($22,070 vs. $22,300)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Benedictine University graduates. ($228 vs. $230)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Benedictine University students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 56%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/