Cornell College vs. Northwestern College

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

Cornell College Northwestern College
Location Mount Vernon, IA Orange City, IA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,084 1,665
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #455 #633
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornellcollege.edu nwciowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell College Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $49,970 $35,000
Tuition (Out of State) $49,970 $35,000
Room & Board $11,358 $10,700
Avg Net Price $25,850 $24,737
Avg Grant Aid $38,486 $23,319
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Cornell College Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,087 1,155
Admitted 2,490 1,005
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 87%
Enrolled % 12% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 20/27
SAT Range 1150/1318 940/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

Cornell College Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Cornell College Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 70% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,400 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,092
Median Loan Payment $279 $259

Diversity

Cornell College Northwestern College
% Men 0% 7%
% Women 0% 24%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 83%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

Cornell College Northwestern College
% In-State 30% 55%
% Out-of-State 67% 42%

Campus

Cornell 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 Cornell College based on total student enrollment (1,665 students vs. 1,084 students)

Cornell College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

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

  • Cornell College is 42.8% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($49,970.00 vs. $35,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.8% higher at Cornell College than Northwestern College ($49,970.00 vs. $35,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than Cornell College ($24,737 vs. $25,850)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 6.1% lower than costs at Cornell College ($10,700 vs. $11,358)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 65% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($38,486 vs. $23,319)

Cornell College vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell College (1177) is 36 points higher than at Northwestern College (1141)
  • Incoming Cornell College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Northwestern College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Cornell College (3.53)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (87%) than Cornell College (80.7%)

Cornell College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell 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 Cornell College.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell College is higher than Northwestern College (70% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Cornell College earn on average $7,000 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($45,400 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,908 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($25,092 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($259 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 74%)

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