Northwestern College vs. LRC

Should I go to Northwestern College or La Roche College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or LRC 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. La Roche College comparison
Northwestern College La Roche College College 3 College 4
Northwestern College
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Overview

Northwestern College LRC
Location Orange City, IA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,665 2,618
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #633 #677
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu laroche.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern College LRC
Tuition (In State) $35,000 $31,960
Tuition (Out of State) $35,000 $31,960
Room & Board $10,700 $13,268
Avg Net Price $24,737 $24,638
Avg Grant Aid $23,319 $21,167
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Northwestern College LRC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,155 2,063
Admitted 1,005 1,601
Acceptance Rate 87% 77.6%
Enrolled % 28.2% 10.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27
SAT Range 940/1240 1055/1235
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Northwestern College LRC
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Northwestern College LRC
Graduation Rate 66% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $259 $268

Diversity

Northwestern College LRC
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 24% 8%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 62%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 16%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

Northwestern College LRC
% In-State 55% 75%
% Out-of-State 42% 5%

Campus

Northwestern College LRC
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

  • La Roche College is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (2,618 students vs. 1,665 students)

Northwestern College vs. LRC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or LRC?

  • Northwestern College is 9.5% more expensive to attend than LRC for in-state tuition ($35,000.00 vs. $31,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at Northwestern College than La Roche College ($35,000.00 vs. $31,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at La Roche College than Northwestern College ($24,638 vs. $24,737)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 24% lower than costs at La Roche College ($10,700 vs. $13,268)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than La Roche College (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 10.2% larger than aid received La Roche College ($23,319 vs. $21,167)

Northwestern College vs. LRC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 202 points higher than at LRC (939)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at LRC (20)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at LRC (3.2)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (87%) than LRC (77.6%)

Northwestern College vs. LRC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than La Roche College (66% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from La Roche College earn on average $5,900 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($44,300 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $908 lower median federal student loan debt than LRC graduates. ($25,092 vs. $26,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than LRC graduates. ($259 vs. $268)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LRC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 62%)

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