BLC vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC 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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Bethany Lutheran College vs. Northwestern College comparison
Bethany Lutheran College Northwestern College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 BLC Northwestern College
Location Mankato, MN Saint Paul, MN
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 830 3,253
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #554
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $34,490
Room & Board $8,270 $10,644
Avg Net Price $18,525 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 BLC Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 1,349
Admitted 389 1,248
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 92.5%
Enrolled % 45.2% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 21/28
SAT Range 990/1290 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 Jul 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 BLC Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

 BLC Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 53% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $240 $228

Diversity

 BLC Northwestern College
% Men 48% 39%
% Women 52% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BLC Northwestern College
% In-State 59% 77%
% Out-of-State 23% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern College is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 21.7% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.7% higher at Northwestern College than Bethany Lutheran College ($34,490.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Northwestern College ($18,525 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 28.7% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($8,270 vs. $10,644)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 1.1% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($20,705 vs. $20,487)

BLC vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1102) is 28 points higher than at BLC (1074)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BLC (23)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at BLC (3.51)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC 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 BLC.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (64% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern College earn on average $3,800 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $37,300)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,180 lower median federal student loan debt than BLC graduates. ($22,070 vs. $23,250)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than BLC graduates. ($228 vs. $240)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 78%)

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