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Butler Creighton University ISU University of St Thomas Iowa Marquette University Grinnell Bradley Saint Louis University-Main Campus Bethel University Augustana St Olaf| Drake University | Northwestern College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
| Location | Des Moines, IA | Saint Paul, MN | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 4,504 | 3,262 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #135 | #551 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Other Protestant | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | drake.edu | nwc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $49,466 | $35,970 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,466 | $35,970 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,858 | $11,148 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,886 | $26,779 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,783 | $21,360 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,741 | 1,194 | ||
| Admitted | 4,964 | 1,097 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 64.1% | 91.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.9% | 33.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.58 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 24/30 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1190/1390 | 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 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $68,500 | $41,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $22,070 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $228 |
Diversity |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 26% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 84% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Drake | Northwestern College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 41% | 74% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 56% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Drake | 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
- Drake University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (4,504 students vs. 3,262 students)
Drake vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Drake or Northwestern College?
- Drake University is 37.5% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($49,466.00 vs. $35,970.00)
- Out of state tuition is 37.5% higher at Drake than Northwestern College ($49,466.00 vs. $35,970.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than Drake ($26,779 vs. $30,886)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 6.4% lower than costs at Drake University ($11,148 vs. $11,858)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Drake University as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 48.8% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($31,783 vs. $21,360)
Drake vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Drake or Northwestern College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern College or Drake .
- The average SAT score at Drake University (1224) is 122 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
- Incoming Drake students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Northwestern College (24)
- Accepted freshman Drake students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
- Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Drake (64.1%)
Drake vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Drake 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 Drake.
- The graduation rate at Drake is higher than Northwestern College (75% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Drake University earn on average $27,400 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $41,100)
- Northwestern College students graduate with a $3,930 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($22,070 vs. $26,000)
- Northwestern College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($228 vs. $268)
- More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/