Northwestern College vs. AMU

Should I go to Northwestern College or Ave Maria University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or AMU 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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Northwestern College vs. Ave Maria University comparison
Northwestern College Ave Maria University College 3 College 4
Northwestern College Ave Maria University
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Overview

 Northwestern College AMU
Location Orange City, IA Ave Maria, FL
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,651 1,310
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #598
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu avemaria.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College AMU
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $25,168
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $25,168
Room & Board $10,200 $13,402
Avg Net Price $25,198 $21,078
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $21,341
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Northwestern College AMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 3,404
Admitted 965 1,505
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 44.2%
Enrolled % 29.8% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/28
SAT Range 940/1240 1018/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Northwestern College AMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (11%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College AMU
Graduation Rate 66% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $22,428
Median Loan Payment $259 $231

Diversity

 Northwestern College AMU
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 61%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 13%

Students

 Northwestern College AMU
% In-State 55% 32%
% Out-of-State 42% 66%

Campus

 Northwestern College AMU
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

  • Northwestern College is larger than than AMU based on total student enrollment (1,651 students vs. 1,310 students)

Northwestern College vs. AMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or AMU?

  • Northwestern College is 35.1% more expensive to attend than AMU for in-state tuition ($34,000.00 vs. $25,168.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.1% higher at Northwestern College than Ave Maria University ($34,000.00 vs. $25,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ave Maria University than Northwestern College ($21,078 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 31.4% lower than costs at Ave Maria University ($10,200 vs. $13,402)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Ave Maria University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 4.2% larger than aid received Ave Maria University ($22,228 vs. $21,341)

Northwestern College vs. AMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 43 points higher than at AMU (1098)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at AMU (24)
  • Accepted freshman AMU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Northwestern College (3.57)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (87.3%) than AMU (44.2%)

Northwestern College vs. AMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern College or AMU? 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 AMU and Northwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Ave Maria University (66% vs. 41%)
  • Ave Maria University students graduate with a $2,664 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($22,428 vs. $25,092)
  • AMU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($231 vs. $259)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AMU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 53%)

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