Northwestern College vs. AU

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

 Northwestern College AU
Location Saint Paul, MN Anderson, SC
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,262 4,325
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #551 #759
Religious Affiliation Other Protestant Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwc.edu andersonuniversity.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College AU
Tuition (In State) $35,970 $32,710
Tuition (Out of State) $35,970 $32,710
Room & Board $11,148 $12,290
Avg Net Price $26,779 $22,222
Avg Grant Aid $21,360 $25,586
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Northwestern College AU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,194 4,732
Admitted 1,097 2,499
Acceptance Rate 91.9% 52.8%
Enrolled % 33.2% 34%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 22/28
SAT Range 981/1293 1090/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Northwestern College AU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (37%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College AU
Graduation Rate 64% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,100 $37,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,070 $26,862
Median Loan Payment $228 $277

Diversity

 Northwestern College AU
% Men 1% 9%
% Women 1% 12%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 83%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Northwestern College AU
% In-State 74% 68%
% Out-of-State 26% 31%

Campus

 Northwestern College AU
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

  • Anderson University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (4,325 students vs. 3,262 students)

Northwestern College vs. AU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or AU?

  • Northwestern College is 10% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($35,970.00 vs. $32,710.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10% higher at Northwestern College than Anderson University ($35,970.00 vs. $32,710.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Anderson University than Northwestern College ($22,222 vs. $26,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 10.2% lower than costs at Anderson University ($11,148 vs. $12,290)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Anderson University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Anderson University students is 19.8% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($25,586 vs. $21,360)

Northwestern College vs. AU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1102) is 24 points higher than at AU (1078)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at AU (24)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than AU (52.8%)

Northwestern College vs. AU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Anderson University (64% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern College earn on average $3,600 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $37,500)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $4,792 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($22,070 vs. $26,862)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($228 vs. $277)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 60%)

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