Simpson College vs. Chatham

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

Simpson College Chatham
Location Indianola, IA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,151 2,387
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #288
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu chatham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Chatham
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $40,625
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $40,625
Room & Board $9,654 $12,719
Avg Net Price $23,185 $28,322
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $27,330
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Chatham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 3,514
Admitted 1,398 2,331
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 66.3%
Enrolled % 21.6% 13.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/29
SAT Range 890/1280 1060/1270
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 Chatham
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Chatham
Graduation Rate 69% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

Simpson College Chatham
% Men 48% 25%
% Women 52% 75%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 72%
% Black 2% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Simpson College Chatham
% In-State 67% 70%
% Out-of-State 32% 26%

Campus

Simpson College Chatham
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

  • Chatham University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (2,387 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Chatham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Chatham?

  • Simpson College is 8.8% more expensive to attend than Chatham for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $40,625.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.8% higher at Simpson College than Chatham University ($44,202.00 vs. $40,625.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Chatham ($23,185 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 31.7% lower than costs at Chatham University ($9,654 vs. $12,719)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Chatham University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 31.4% larger than aid received Chatham University ($35,898 vs. $27,330)

Simpson College vs. Chatham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Chatham (66.3%)

Simpson College vs. Chatham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Chatham? 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 Chatham and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Chatham University (69% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $11,300 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chatham students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 62%)

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