Hope College vs. Northwestern College

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

 Hope College Northwestern College
Location Holland, MI Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,368 3,262
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #271 #551
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hope.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hope College Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $39,990 $35,970
Tuition (Out of State) $39,990 $35,970
Room & Board $12,180 $11,148
Avg Net Price $28,643 $26,779
Avg Grant Aid $23,633 $21,360
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 Hope College Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,206 1,194
Admitted 3,949 1,097
Acceptance Rate 75.9% 91.9%
Enrolled % 21.1% 33.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 22/29
SAT Range 1090/1310 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, 2025

Academics

 Hope College Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

 Hope College Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 79% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $279 $228

Diversity

 Hope College Northwestern College
% Men 1% 1%
% Women 1% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Hope College Northwestern College
% In-State 68% 74%
% Out-of-State 32% 26%

Campus

 Hope 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

  • Hope College is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (3,368 students vs. 3,262 students)

Hope College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

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

  • Hope College is 11.2% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($39,990.00 vs. $35,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.2% higher at Hope College than Northwestern College ($39,990.00 vs. $35,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than Hope College ($26,779 vs. $28,643)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 9.3% lower than costs at Hope College ($11,148 vs. $12,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Hope College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hope College students is 10.6% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($23,633 vs. $21,360)

Hope College vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hope College (1205) is 103 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming Hope College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Hope College (75.9%)

Hope College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hope 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 Hope College.

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Northwestern College (79% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Hope College earn on average $6,400 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $4,930 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($22,070 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($228 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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