NNU vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Northwest Nazarene University or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NNU or Northwestern 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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Northwest Nazarene University vs. Northwestern College comparison
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Northwest Nazarene University Northwestern College
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Overview

NNU Northwestern College
Location Nampa, ID Orange City, IA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,778 1,651
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #761 #638
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nnu.edu nwciowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NNU Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $35,548 $34,000
Tuition (Out of State) $35,548 $34,000
Room & Board $10,500 $10,200
Avg Net Price $25,674 $25,198
Avg Grant Aid $21,411 $22,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

NNU Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,394 1,105
Admitted 2,993 965
Acceptance Rate 88.2%Open 87.3%
Enrolled % 8%Open 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/27
SAT Range 1000/1240 940/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

NNU Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

NNU Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 52% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,000 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,092
Median Loan Payment $268 $259

Diversity

NNU Northwestern College
% Men 37% 39%
% Women 63% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 83%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

NNU Northwestern College
% In-State 55% 55%
% Out-of-State 42% 42%

Campus

NNU 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

  • Northwest Nazarene University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (1,778 students vs. 1,651 students)

NNU vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NNU or Northwestern College?

  • Northwest Nazarene University is 4.6% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($35,548.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at NNU than Northwestern College ($35,548.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than NNU ($25,198 vs. $25,674)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 2.9% lower than costs at Northwest Nazarene University ($10,200 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Northwest Nazarene University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 3.8% larger than aid received Northwest Nazarene University ($22,228 vs. $21,411)

NNU vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 85 points higher than at NNU (1056)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NNU (24)
  • Accepted freshman NNU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Northwestern College (3.57)
  • NNU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than Northwestern College (87.3%)

NNU vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NNU 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 NNU.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Northwest Nazarene University (66% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Northwest Nazarene University earn on average $4,600 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($43,000 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $908 lower median federal student loan debt than NNU graduates. ($25,092 vs. $26,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than NNU graduates. ($259 vs. $268)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NNU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 66%)

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