Simpson College vs. Carroll University

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

Simpson College Carroll University
Location Indianola, IA Waukesha, WI
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,151 3,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #534
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu carrollu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Carroll University
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $35,360
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $35,360
Room & Board $9,654 $11,564
Avg Net Price $23,185 $25,485
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $23,933
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Carroll University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 4,728
Admitted 1,398 3,411
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 72.1%
Enrolled % 21.6% 19.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 22/28
SAT Range 890/1280 1060/1340
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 Carroll University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Carroll University
Graduation Rate 69% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Simpson College Carroll University
% Men 48% 32%
% Women 52% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 83%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Simpson College Carroll University
% In-State 67% 66%
% Out-of-State 32% 30%

Campus

Simpson College Carroll University
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

  • Carroll University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (3,283 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Carroll University Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 25% more expensive to attend than Carroll University for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $35,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25% higher at Simpson College than Carroll University ($44,202.00 vs. $35,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Carroll University ($23,185 vs. $25,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 19.8% lower than costs at Carroll University ($9,654 vs. $11,564)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Carroll University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 50% larger than aid received Carroll University ($35,898 vs. $23,933)

Simpson College vs. Carroll University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 17 points higher than at Carroll University (1087)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Carroll University (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Carroll University (3.39)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Carroll University (72.1%)

Simpson College vs. Carroll University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Carroll 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 Carroll University and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Carroll University (69% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $3,800 more per year than Carroll University graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $44,200)
  • Carroll University and Simpson College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Carroll University and Simpson College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Carroll University students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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