North Central College vs. Simpson College

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

North Central College Simpson College
Location Naperville, IL Indianola, IA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,695 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #340 #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northcentralcollege.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

North Central College Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $42,866 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $42,866 $44,202
Room & Board $11,998 $9,654
Avg Net Price $25,285 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $30,776 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

North Central College Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,099 1,569
Admitted 3,104 1,398
Acceptance Rate 60.9% 89.1%
Enrolled % 15.6% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 20/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 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 Apr 15, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

North Central College Simpson College
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 (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

North Central College Simpson College
Graduation Rate 64% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

North Central College Simpson College
% Men 47% 48%
% Women 53% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 88%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

North Central College Simpson College
% In-State 85% 67%
% Out-of-State 11% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • North Central College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (2,695 students vs. 1,151 students)

North Central College vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 3.1% more expensive to attend than North Central College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $42,866.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at Simpson College than North Central College ($44,202.00 vs. $42,866.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than North Central College ($23,185 vs. $25,285)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 24.3% lower than costs at North Central College ($9,654 vs. $11,998)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at North Central College as Simpson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 16.6% larger than aid received North Central College ($35,898 vs. $30,776)

North Central College vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Central College (1125) is 21 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming North Central College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at North Central College (3.6)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than North Central College (60.9%)

North Central College vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Central College 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 North Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than North Central College (69% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from North Central College earn on average $900 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $48,000)
  • North Central College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • North Central College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Central College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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