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St Olaf Coe College Bethel University Drake Knox College Gustavus Adolphus College Grinnell Creighton University Concordia College at Moorhead Lawrence Cornell College Carthage| Luther College | Northwestern College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
| Location | Decorah, IA | Saint Paul, MN | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,610 | 3,253 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #336 | #554 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | Other Protestant | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | luther.edu | nwc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $47,510 | $34,490 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $47,510 | $34,490 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,670 | $10,644 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,734 | $25,704 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $35,441 | $20,487 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,188 | 1,349 | ||
| Admitted | 1,648 | 1,248 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 75.3% | 92.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24.3% | 31.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.65 | 3.58 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1075/1330 | 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 |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 69% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,000 | $41,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $22,070 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $228 |
Diversity |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 84% | 84% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Luther- Norse | Northwestern College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 26% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 60% | 22% | ||
Campus |
Luther- Norse | 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 Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 1,610 students)
Luther- Norse vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or Northwestern College?
- Luther College is 37.8% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($47,510.00 vs. $34,490.00)
- Out of state tuition is 37.8% higher at Luther- Norse than Northwestern College ($47,510.00 vs. $34,490.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than Luther- Norse ($25,704 vs. $25,734)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 0.2% lower than costs at Luther College ($10,644 vs. $10,670)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Luther College as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 73% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($35,441 vs. $20,487)
Luther- Norse vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Luther- Norse or Northwestern College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern College or Luther- Norse .
- The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 77 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
- Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Northwestern College (24)
- Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
- Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Luther- Norse (75.3%)
Luther- Norse vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Luther- Norse 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 Luther- Norse.
- The graduation rate at Luther- Norse is higher than Northwestern College (69% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Luther College earn on average $8,900 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $41,100)
- Northwestern College students graduate with a $4,930 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($22,070 vs. $27,000)
- Northwestern College graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($228 vs. $279)
- More Luther- Norse 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/