Luther- Norse vs. Simpson College

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

Luther- Norse Simpson College
Location Decorah, IA Indianola, IA
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,610 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #336 #412
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luther.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Luther- Norse Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $47,510 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $47,510 $44,202
Room & Board $10,670 $9,654
Avg Net Price $25,734 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $35,441 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Luther- Norse Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,188 1,569
Admitted 1,648 1,398
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 89.1%
Enrolled % 24.3% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29 20/27
SAT Range 1075/1330 890/1280
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 15, 2025

Academics

Luther- Norse Simpson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Luther- Norse Simpson College
Graduation Rate 69% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Luther- Norse Simpson College
% Men 45% 48%
% Women 55% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 88%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Luther- Norse Simpson College
% In-State 26% 67%
% Out-of-State 60% 32%

Campus

Luther- Norse Simpson College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Luther College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (1,610 students vs. 1,151 students)

Luther- Norse vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or Simpson College?

  • Luther College is 7.5% more expensive to attend than Simpson College for in-state tuition ($47,510.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.5% higher at Luther- Norse than Simpson College ($47,510.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Luther- Norse ($23,185 vs. $25,734)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 10.5% lower than costs at Luther College ($9,654 vs. $10,670)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Luther College as Simpson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 1.3% larger than aid received Luther College ($35,898 vs. $35,441)

Luther- Norse vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 75 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Luther- Norse (75.3%)

Luther- Norse vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Luther- Norse or Simpson 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 Simpson College and Luther- Norse.

  • The graduation rate at Luther- Norse is the same as at Simpson College (69% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Luther College earn on average $2,000 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $48,000)
  • Simpson College and Luther- Norse graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Simpson College and Luther- Norse graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Luther- Norse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 77%)

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