Northwest vs. PennWest California

Should I go to Northwest Missouri State University or PennWest California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwest or PennWest California 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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Northwest Missouri State University vs. PennWest California comparison
Northwest Missouri State University PennWest California College 3 College 4
Northwest Missouri State University PennWest California
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Overview

Northwest PennWest California
Location Maryville, MO California, PA
Setting Remote Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 8,505 6,509
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #914 #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwmissouri.edu calu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwest PennWest California
Tuition (In State) $6,015 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $12,082 $11,574
Room & Board $10,428 $10,416
Avg Net Price $14,197 -
Avg Grant Aid $8,387 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 0%

Admission

Northwest PennWest California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,877 -
Admitted 5,884 -
Acceptance Rate 85.6%
Enrolled % 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 938/1158 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

Northwest PennWest California
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

Northwest PennWest California
Graduation Rate 49% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,200 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

Northwest PennWest California
% Men 38% 39%
% Women 62% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 77%
% Black 7% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Northwest PennWest California
% In-State 65% 86%
% Out-of-State 33% 13%

Campus

Northwest PennWest California
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwest Missouri State University is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (8,505 students vs. 6,509 students)

Northwest vs. PennWest California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwest or PennWest California?

  • PennWest California is 28.3% more expensive to attend than Northwest for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $6,015.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at Northwest than PennWest California ($12,082.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 0.1% lower than costs at Northwest Missouri State University ($10,416 vs. $10,428)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwest Missouri State University than PennWest California (95% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest Missouri State University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($8,387 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, Northwest or PennWest California? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PennWest California or Northwest .

  • The average SAT score at Northwest Missouri State University (1047) is 125 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Northwest students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman Northwest students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

Northwest vs. PennWest California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwest or PennWest California? 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 PennWest California and Northwest.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Northwest Missouri State University (53% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $1,300 more per year than Northwest graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $41,200)
  • PennWest California and Northwest graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • PennWest California and Northwest graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwest students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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