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Iowa Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU UT Dallas NDSU| Iowa State University | Northwestern College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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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/