Northwestern College vs. USD

Should I go to Northwestern College or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or USD 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. University of South Dakota comparison
Northwestern College University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
Northwestern College University of South Dakota
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Overview

Northwestern College USD
Location Orange City, IA Vermillion, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,651 9,856
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #597
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern College USD
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $11,283
Room & Board $10,200 $8,224
Avg Net Price $25,198 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

Northwestern College USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 4,480
Admitted 965 4,456
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 99.5%
Enrolled % 29.8% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/25
SAT Range 940/1240 1020/1300
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 USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Northwestern College USD
Graduation Rate 66% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $259 $258

Diversity

Northwestern College USD
% Men 39% 37%
% Women 61% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 85%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Northwestern College USD
% In-State 55% 54%
% Out-of-State 42% 43%

Campus

Northwestern College USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (9,856 students vs. 1,651 students)

Northwestern College vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or USD?

  • Northwestern College is 337.4% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($34,000.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 201.3% higher at Northwestern College than University of South Dakota ($34,000.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Northwestern College ($18,378 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 24% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($8,224 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 252.4% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($22,228 vs. $6,308)

Northwestern College vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 92 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Northwestern College (87.3%)

Northwestern College vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than University of South Dakota (66% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $9,800 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $38,400)
  • University of South Dakota students graduate with a $92 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,092)
  • USD graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($258 vs. $259)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 70%)

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