Simpson College vs. Augustana University

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

Simpson College Augustana University
Location Indianola, IA Sioux Falls, SD
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,151 2,086
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #327
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu augie.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Augustana University
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $36,332
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $36,332
Room & Board $9,654 $9,148
Avg Net Price $23,185 $23,843
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $27,920
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Augustana University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 3,145
Admitted 1,398 2,069
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 65.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/28
SAT Range 890/1280 1110/1325
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

Simpson College Augustana University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Augustana University
Graduation Rate 69% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $46,800
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Simpson College Augustana University
% Men 48% 36%
% Women 52% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 84%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Simpson College Augustana University
% In-State 67% 45%
% Out-of-State 32% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Augustana University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (2,086 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Augustana University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Augustana University?

  • Simpson College is 21.7% more expensive to attend than Augustana University for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $36,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.7% higher at Simpson College than Augustana University ($44,202.00 vs. $36,332.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Augustana University ($23,185 vs. $23,843)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Augustana University are 5.5% lower than costs at Simpson College ($9,148 vs. $9,654)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Augustana University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 28.6% larger than aid received Augustana University ($35,898 vs. $27,920)

Simpson College vs. Augustana University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Augustana University (1164) is 60 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Augustana University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Augustana University students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Augustana University (65.8%)

Simpson College vs. Augustana University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Augustana University? 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 Augustana University and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Augustana University (69% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $1,200 more per year than Augustana University graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $46,800)
  • Augustana University and Simpson College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Augustana University and Simpson College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Augustana University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 77%)

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