ISU vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Iowa State University or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU 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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Iowa State University vs. Northwestern College comparison
Iowa State University Northwestern College College 3 College 4
Iowa State University
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Overview

ISU Northwestern College
Location Ames, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 29,969 3,253
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #554
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $34,490
Room & Board $9,358 $10,644
Avg Net Price $15,310 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

ISU Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 1,349
Admitted 19,776 1,248
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 92.5%
Enrolled % 29% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1350 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

ISU Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

ISU Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 68% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $246 $228

Diversity

ISU Northwestern College
% Men 55% 39%
% Women 45% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU Northwestern College
% In-State 52% 77%
% Out-of-State 45% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 3,253 students)

ISU vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 297.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.1% higher at Northwestern College than Iowa State University ($34,490.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Northwestern College ($15,310 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 13.7% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,358 vs. $10,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 85.5% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($20,487 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 40 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU 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 (92.5%) than ISU (90.2%)

ISU vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Northwestern College (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $12,600 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,798 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,070 vs. $23,868)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($228 vs. $246)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

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