Northwestern College vs. MSOE

Should I go to Northwestern College or Milwaukee School of Engineering? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or MSOE 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. Milwaukee School of Engineering comparison
Northwestern College Milwaukee School of Engineering College 3 College 4
Milwaukee School of Engineering
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Overview

Northwestern College MSOE
Location Saint Paul, MN Milwaukee, WI
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 3,253 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #554 #243
Religious Affiliation Other Protestant - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwc.edu msoe.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern College MSOE
Tuition (In State) $34,490 $44,601
Tuition (Out of State) $34,490 $44,601
Room & Board $10,644 $12,494
Avg Net Price $25,704 $25,661
Avg Grant Aid $20,487 $31,850
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Northwestern College MSOE
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,349 5,478
Admitted 1,248 3,477
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 63.5%
Enrolled % 31.9% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 24/30
SAT Range 1015/1311 1160/1405
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Sep 1, 2024

Academics

Northwestern College MSOE
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Engineering (66%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Communication (1%)

Outcomes

Northwestern College MSOE
Graduation Rate 64% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,100 $68,900
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,070 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $228 $279

Diversity

Northwestern College MSOE
% Men 39% 71%
% Women 61% 29%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 84% 66%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

Northwestern College MSOE
% In-State 77% 58%
% Out-of-State 22% 38%

Campus

Northwestern College MSOE
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 MSOE based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 2,729 students)

Northwestern College vs. MSOE Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or MSOE?

  • Milwaukee School of Engineering is 29.3% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($44,601.00 vs. $34,490.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.3% higher at MSOE than Northwestern College ($44,601.00 vs. $34,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Milwaukee School of Engineering than Northwestern College ($25,661 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 17.4% lower than costs at Milwaukee School of Engineering ($10,644 vs. $12,494)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Milwaukee School of Engineering (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milwaukee School of Engineering students is 55.5% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($31,850 vs. $20,487)

Northwestern College vs. MSOE Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Milwaukee School of Engineering (1248) is 146 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming MSOE students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman MSOE students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than MSOE (63.5%)

Northwestern College vs. MSOE Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Milwaukee School of Engineering (64% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Milwaukee School of Engineering earn on average $27,800 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($68,900 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $4,930 lower median federal student loan debt than MSOE graduates. ($22,070 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than MSOE graduates. ($228 vs. $279)
  • More MSOE graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 78%)

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