North Central College vs. Drake

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

North Central College Drake
Location Naperville, IL Des Moines, IA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,695 4,685
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #340 #149
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northcentralcollege.edu drake.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

North Central College Drake
Tuition (In State) $42,866 $47,564
Tuition (Out of State) $42,866 $47,564
Room & Board $11,998 $11,570
Avg Net Price $25,285 $30,333
Avg Grant Aid $30,776 $31,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

North Central College Drake
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,099 8,621
Admitted 3,104 5,796
Acceptance Rate 60.9% 67.2%
Enrolled % 15.6% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/28 25/30
SAT Range 1020/1240 1110/1340
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 Apr 15, 2025

Academics

North Central College Drake
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

North Central College Drake
Graduation Rate 64% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $68,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

North Central College Drake
% Men 47% 37%
% Women 53% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 79%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

North Central College Drake
% In-State 85% 35%
% Out-of-State 11% 63%

Campus

North Central College Drake
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Drake University is larger than than North Central College based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 2,695 students)

North Central College vs. Drake Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Central College or Drake?

  • Drake University is 11% more expensive to attend than North Central College for in-state tuition ($47,564.00 vs. $42,866.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11% higher at Drake than North Central College ($47,564.00 vs. $42,866.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Central College than Drake ($25,285 vs. $30,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 3.7% lower than costs at North Central College ($11,570 vs. $11,998)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at North Central College as Drake University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 1.6% larger than aid received North Central College ($31,274 vs. $30,776)

North Central College vs. Drake Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Drake University (1224) is 99 points higher than at North Central College (1125)
  • Incoming Drake students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at North Central College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Drake students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at North Central College (3.6)
  • Drake has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than North Central College (60.9%)

North Central College vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Central College or Drake? 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 Drake and North Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Drake is higher than North Central College (75% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $19,600 more per year than North Central College graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $48,900)
  • North Central College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • North Central College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Central College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 74%)

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