Northwestern College vs. Simpson College

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

 Northwestern College Simpson College
Location Orange City, IA Indianola, IA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,651 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #412
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $44,202
Room & Board $10,200 $9,654
Avg Net Price $25,198 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Northwestern College Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 1,569
Admitted 965 1,398
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 89.1%
Enrolled % 29.8% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 20/27
SAT Range 940/1240 890/1280
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Northwestern College Simpson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College Simpson College
Graduation Rate 66% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $259 $279

Diversity

 Northwestern College Simpson College
% Men 39% 48%
% Women 61% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 88%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Northwestern College Simpson College
% In-State 55% 67%
% Out-of-State 42% 32%

Campus

 Northwestern College Simpson College
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 Simpson College based on total student enrollment (1,651 students vs. 1,151 students)

Northwestern College vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or Simpson College?

  • Simpson College is 30% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30% higher at Simpson College than Northwestern College ($44,202.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Northwestern College ($23,185 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 5.7% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,654 vs. $10,200)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Simpson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 61.5% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($35,898 vs. $22,228)

Northwestern College vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 37 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Northwestern College (3.57)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Northwestern College (87.3%)

Northwestern College vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern College or Simpson 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 Simpson College and Northwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Northwestern College (69% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $9,600 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,908 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,092 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($259 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College 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/