Northwestern vs. Centre College

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

Northwestern Centre College
Location Evanston, IL Danville, KY
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 23,161 1,357
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #147
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu centre.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Centre College
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $48,070
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $48,070
Room & Board $19,440 $12,300
Avg Net Price $22,095 $23,584
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $37,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 100%

Admission

Northwestern Centre College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 2,724
Admitted 3,695 1,712
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 62.8%
Enrolled % 55.2% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 27/32
SAT Range 1490/1570 1195/1470
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 Jan 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Centre College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • History (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Centre College
Graduation Rate 94% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $52,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $200 $279

Diversity

Northwestern Centre College
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 50% 78%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Northwestern Centre College
% In-State 22% 53%
% Out-of-State 67% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Centre College based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 1,357 students)

Northwestern vs. Centre College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Centre College?

  • Northwestern University is 29.8% more expensive to attend than Centre College for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $48,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.8% higher at Northwestern than Centre College ($62,391.00 vs. $48,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Centre College ($22,095 vs. $23,584)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Centre College are 58% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($12,300 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centre College than Northwestern University (100% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 66.3% larger than aid received Centre College ($61,716 vs. $37,116)

Northwestern vs. Centre College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 181 points higher than at Centre College (1279)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Centre College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Centre College (3.62)
  • Centre College has a higher acceptance rate (62.8%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Centre College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Centre College (94% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $37,300 more per year than Centre College graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $52,500)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $7,622 lower median federal student loan debt than Centre College graduates. ($19,378 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than Centre College graduates. ($200 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Centre College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 79%)

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