Coe College vs. Northwestern College

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

Coe College Northwestern College
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,278 3,262
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #397 #551
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website coe.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Coe College Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $52,226 $35,970
Tuition (Out of State) $52,226 $35,970
Room & Board $11,336 $11,148
Avg Net Price $20,940 $26,779
Avg Grant Aid $43,772 $21,360
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Coe College Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,171 1,194
Admitted 5,068 1,097
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 91.9%
Enrolled % 7.1% 33.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 22/29
SAT Range 1080/1280 981/1293
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 Mar 1, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Coe College Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

Coe College Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 69% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,100 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,105 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $290 $228

Diversity

Coe College Northwestern College
% Men 1% 1%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 84%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Coe College Northwestern College
% In-State 38% 74%
% Out-of-State 56% 26%

Campus

Coe College 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 Coe College based on total student enrollment (3,262 students vs. 1,278 students)

Coe College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Coe College or Northwestern College?

  • Coe College is 45.2% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($52,226.00 vs. $35,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.2% higher at Coe College than Northwestern College ($52,226.00 vs. $35,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Coe College than Northwestern College ($20,940 vs. $26,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 1.7% lower than costs at Coe College ($11,148 vs. $11,336)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Coe College as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Coe College students is 104.9% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($43,772 vs. $21,360)

Coe College vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Coe College (1126) is 24 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming Coe College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Coe College students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Coe College (70.7%)

Coe College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Coe College 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 Coe College.

  • The graduation rate at Coe College is higher than Northwestern College (69% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Coe College earn on average $7,000 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $6,035 lower median federal student loan debt than Coe College graduates. ($22,070 vs. $28,105)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Coe College graduates. ($228 vs. $290)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coe College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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