St. Ambrose University vs. Simpson College

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

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
Location Davenport, IA Indianola, IA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,747 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #402 #412
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sau.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $34,290 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $34,290 $44,202
Room & Board $11,988 $9,654
Avg Net Price $23,359 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $25,476 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,589 1,569
Admitted 2,653 1,398
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 89.1%
Enrolled % 17.3% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.62
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 20/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 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

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
Graduation Rate 62% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,764 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $266 $279

Diversity

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
% Men 42% 48%
% Women 58% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 88%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

St. Ambrose University Simpson College
% In-State 33% 67%
% Out-of-State 64% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Ambrose University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (2,747 students vs. 1,151 students)

St. Ambrose University vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 28.9% more expensive to attend than St. Ambrose University for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $34,290.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.9% higher at Simpson College than Saint Ambrose University ($44,202.00 vs. $34,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than St. Ambrose University ($23,185 vs. $23,359)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 24.2% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($9,654 vs. $11,988)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University as Simpson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 40.9% larger than aid received Saint Ambrose University ($35,898 vs. $25,476)

St. Ambrose University vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 54 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at St. Ambrose University (23)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than St. Ambrose University (73.9%)

St. Ambrose University vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Ambrose University 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 St. Ambrose University .

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Saint Ambrose University (69% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Saint Ambrose University earn on average $300 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $48,000)
  • Saint Ambrose University students graduate with a $1,236 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,764 vs. $27,000)
  • St. Ambrose University graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Ambrose University students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 71%)

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