Northwestern College vs. BC

Should I go to Northwestern College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or BC 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. Bridgewater College comparison
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Northwestern College Bridgewater College
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Overview

 Northwestern College BC
Location Orange City, IA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,651 1,421
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #676
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College BC
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $38,800
Room & Board $10,200 $13,830
Avg Net Price $25,198 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Northwestern College BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 3,402
Admitted 965 3,074
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 90.4%
Enrolled % 29.8% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 22/28
SAT Range 940/1240 1020/1230
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

 Northwestern College BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College BC
Graduation Rate 66% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $259 $279

Diversity

 Northwestern College BC
% Men 39% 48%
% Women 61% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Northwestern College BC
% In-State 55% 73%
% Out-of-State 42% 24%

Campus

 Northwestern College BC
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

  • Northwestern College is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (1,651 students vs. 1,421 students)

Northwestern College vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 14.1% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at BC than Northwestern College ($38,800.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Northwestern College ($19,332 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 35.6% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($10,200 vs. $13,830)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Bridgewater College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 53.6% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($34,142 vs. $22,228)

Northwestern College vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 107 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Northwestern College (3.57)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than Northwestern College (87.3%)

Northwestern College vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Bridgewater College (66% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $4,700 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,908 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($25,092 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($259 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 77%)

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