Northwestern College vs. Franciscan

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

Northwestern College Franciscan
Location Saint Paul, MN Steubenville, OH
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,253 3,656
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #554 #488
Religious Affiliation Other Protestant Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwc.edu franciscan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern College Franciscan
Tuition (In State) $34,490 $30,620
Tuition (Out of State) $34,490 $30,620
Room & Board $10,644 $9,390
Avg Net Price $25,704 $25,310
Avg Grant Aid $20,487 $16,779
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Northwestern College Franciscan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,349 2,456
Admitted 1,248 1,637
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 66.7%
Enrolled % 31.9% 40.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 22/28
SAT Range 1015/1311 1100/1320
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, 2025

Academics

Northwestern College Franciscan
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (30%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Northwestern College Franciscan
Graduation Rate 64% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,100 $39,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,070 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $228 $227

Diversity

Northwestern College Franciscan
% Men 39% 43%
% Women 61% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 83%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 4% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northwestern College Franciscan
% In-State 77% 17%
% Out-of-State 22% 82%

Campus

Northwestern College Franciscan
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

  • Franciscan University of Steubenville is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (3,656 students vs. 3,253 students)

Northwestern College vs. Franciscan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or Franciscan?

  • Northwestern College is 12.6% more expensive to attend than Franciscan for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $30,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at Northwestern College than Franciscan University of Steubenville ($34,490.00 vs. $30,620.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Franciscan University of Steubenville than Northwestern College ($25,310 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Franciscan University of Steubenville are 13.4% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,390 vs. $10,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Franciscan University of Steubenville (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 22.1% larger than aid received Franciscan University of Steubenville ($20,487 vs. $16,779)

Northwestern College vs. Franciscan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Franciscan University of Steubenville (1165) is 63 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming Franciscan students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Franciscan students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Franciscan (66.7%)

Northwestern College vs. Franciscan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Franciscan is higher than Northwestern College (70% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern College earn on average $1,300 more per year than Franciscan graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $39,800)
  • Franciscan University of Steubenville students graduate with a $70 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,070)
  • Franciscan graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($227 vs. $228)
  • More Franciscan graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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