Northwestern College vs. Mount St. Mary's University

Should I go to Northwestern College or Mount St Mary's University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or Mount St. Mary's University 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. Mount St Mary's University comparison
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Northwestern College Mount St Mary's University
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Overview

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
Location Orange City, IA Emmitsburg, MD
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,651 2,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #426
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu msmary.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $44,330
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $44,330
Room & Board $10,200 $14,320
Avg Net Price $25,198 $24,379
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $36,155
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 4,346
Admitted 965 3,458
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 79.6%
Enrolled % 29.8% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/25
SAT Range 940/1240 1040/1250
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
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 (27%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
Graduation Rate 66% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $56,100
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $259 $268

Diversity

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
% Men 39% 49%
% Women 61% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 68%
% Black 2% 12%
% Hispanic 5% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
% In-State 55% 56%
% Out-of-State 42% 40%

Campus

 Northwestern College Mount St. Mary's University
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

  • Mount St Mary's University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (2,456 students vs. 1,651 students)

Northwestern College vs. Mount St. Mary's University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or Mount St. Mary's University?

  • Mount St Mary's University is 30.4% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($44,330.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.4% higher at Mount St. Mary's University than Northwestern College ($44,330.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mount St Mary's University than Northwestern College ($24,379 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 40.4% lower than costs at Mount St Mary's University ($10,200 vs. $14,320)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Mount St Mary's University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount St Mary's University students is 62.7% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($36,155 vs. $22,228)

Northwestern College vs. Mount St. Mary's University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 128 points higher than at Mount St. Mary's University (1013)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Mount St. Mary's University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Mount St. Mary's University (3.36)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (87.3%) than Mount St. Mary's University (79.6%)

Northwestern College vs. Mount St. Mary's University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern College or Mount St. Mary's University? 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 Mount St. Mary's University and Northwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at Mount St. Mary's University is higher than Northwestern College (76% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Mount St Mary's University earn on average $17,700 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($56,100 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $908 lower median federal student loan debt than Mount St. Mary's University graduates. ($25,092 vs. $26,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Mount St. Mary's University graduates. ($259 vs. $268)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mount St. Mary's University 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/