Northwestern College vs. Northland College

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

Northwestern College Northland College
Location Saint Paul, MN Ashland, WI
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 3,253 518
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #554
Religious Affiliation Other Protestant United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwc.edu northland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern College Northland College
Tuition (In State) $34,490 $39,719
Tuition (Out of State) $34,490 $39,719
Room & Board $10,644 $9,688
Avg Net Price $25,704 $23,252
Avg Grant Aid $20,487 $29,780
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Northwestern College Northland College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,349 1,316
Admitted 1,248 900
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 68.4%
Enrolled % 31.9% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 19/25
SAT Range 1015/1311 1121/1280
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 Northland College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (23%)
  • Biology (22%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

Northwestern College Northland College
Graduation Rate 64% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,100 $34,900
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,070 $26,943
Median Loan Payment $228 $278

Diversity

Northwestern College Northland College
% Men 39% 47%
% Women 61% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 83%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Northwestern College Northland College
% In-State 77% 36%
% Out-of-State 22% 50%

Campus

Northwestern College Northland College
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

  • Northwestern College is larger than than Northland College based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 518 students)

Northwestern College vs. Northland College Cost Comparison

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

  • Northland College is 15.2% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($39,719.00 vs. $34,490.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.2% higher at Northland College than Northwestern College ($39,719.00 vs. $34,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northland College than Northwestern College ($23,252 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northland College are 9.9% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,688 vs. $10,644)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Northland College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northland College students is 45.4% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($29,780 vs. $20,487)

Northwestern College vs. Northland College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northland College (1118) is 16 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming Northland College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at Northland College (3.3)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Northland College (68.4%)

Northwestern College vs. Northland College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Northland College (64% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern College earn on average $6,200 more per year than Northland College graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $34,900)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $4,873 lower median federal student loan debt than Northland College graduates. ($22,070 vs. $26,943)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Northland College graduates. ($228 vs. $278)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northland College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 73%)

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