St. Ambrose University vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Saint Ambrose University or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Ambrose University or Northwestern 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Saint Ambrose University vs. Northwestern College comparison
Saint Ambrose University Northwestern College College 3 College 4
Saint Ambrose University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
Location Davenport, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,747 3,253
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #402 #554
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sau.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $34,290 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $34,290 $34,490
Room & Board $11,988 $10,644
Avg Net Price $23,359 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $25,476 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,589 1,349
Admitted 2,653 1,248
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 92.5%
Enrolled % 17.3% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/28
SAT Range 1020/1240 1015/1311
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

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 62% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,764 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $266 $228

Diversity

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
% Men 42% 39%
% Women 58% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

St. Ambrose University Northwestern College
% In-State 33% 77%
% Out-of-State 64% 22%

Campus

St. Ambrose University Northwestern 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 College is larger than than St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 2,747 students)

St. Ambrose University vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Ambrose University or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 0.6% more expensive to attend than St. Ambrose University for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $34,290.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Northwestern College than Saint Ambrose University ($34,490.00 vs. $34,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Saint Ambrose University than Northwestern College ($23,359 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 12.6% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($10,644 vs. $11,988)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 24.4% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($25,476 vs. $20,487)

St. Ambrose University vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1102) is 52 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at St. Ambrose University (23)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than St. Ambrose University (73.9%)

St. Ambrose University vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Ambrose University or Northwestern 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 Northwestern College and St. Ambrose University .

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Saint Ambrose University (64% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Saint Ambrose University earn on average $7,200 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $3,694 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($22,070 vs. $25,764)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($228 vs. $266)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Ambrose University students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 71%)

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