Principia College vs. Simpson College

Should I go to Principia College or Simpson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Principia College or Simpson 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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Principia College vs. Simpson College comparison
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Overview

Principia College Simpson College
Location Elsah, Illinois Indianola, IA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 323 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website principiacollege.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Principia College Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $31,200 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $31,200 $44,202
Room & Board $12,870 $9,654
Avg Net Price $18,039 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $27,051 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

Principia College Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 209 1,569
Admitted 100 1,398
Acceptance Rate 47.8% 89.1%
Enrolled % 61% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27
SAT Range 970/1300 890/1280
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 15, 2025

Academics

Principia College Simpson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Principia College Simpson College
Graduation Rate - 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 77%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $27,000
Median Loan Payment N/A $279

Diversity

Principia College Simpson College
% Men 59% 48%
% Women 41% 52%
Racial Diversity - Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 0% 88%
% Black 0% 2%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 1%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Principia College Simpson College
% In-State 3% 67%
% Out-of-State 41% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Simpson College is larger than than Principia College based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 323 students)

Principia College vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Principia College or Simpson College?

  • Simpson College is 41.7% more expensive to attend than Principia College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $31,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.7% higher at Simpson College than Principia College ($44,202.00 vs. $31,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Principia College than Simpson College ($18,039 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 33.3% lower than costs at Principia College ($9,654 vs. $12,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Principia College (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 32.7% larger than aid received Principia College ($35,898 vs. $27,051)

Principia College vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Principia College (3.34)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Principia College (47.8%)

Principia College vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Principia College or Simpson 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 Simpson College and Principia College.

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