Simpson College vs. Cleveland Institute of Art

Should I go to Simpson College or Cleveland Institute of Art? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Simpson College or Cleveland Institute of Art 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. Cleveland Institute of Art comparison
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Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
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Overview

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
Location Indianola, IA Cleveland, OH
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,151 584
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu cia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $43,380
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $43,380
Room & Board $9,654 $12,230
Avg Net Price $23,185 $33,395
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $28,356
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 693
Admitted 1,398 484
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 69.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 31.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/28
SAT Range 890/1280 1080/1280
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

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (94%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
Graduation Rate 69% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $39,400
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $299

Diversity

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
% Men 48% 28%
% Women 52% 72%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 88% 69%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
% In-State 67% 68%
% Out-of-State 32% 32%

Campus

Simpson College Cleveland Institute of Art
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

  • Simpson College is larger than than Cleveland Institute of Art based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 584 students)

Simpson College vs. Cleveland Institute of Art Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Cleveland Institute of Art?

  • Simpson College is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Cleveland Institute of Art for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $43,380.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Simpson College than Cleveland Institute of Art ($44,202.00 vs. $43,380.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Cleveland Institute of Art ($23,185 vs. $33,395)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 26.7% lower than costs at Cleveland Institute of Art ($9,654 vs. $12,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Cleveland Institute of Art (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 26.6% larger than aid received Cleveland Institute of Art ($35,898 vs. $28,356)

Simpson College vs. Cleveland Institute of Art Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 21 points higher than at Cleveland Institute of Art (1083)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Cleveland Institute of Art (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Cleveland Institute of Art (3.48)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Cleveland Institute of Art (69.8%)

Simpson College vs. Cleveland Institute of Art Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Cleveland Institute of Art? 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 Cleveland Institute of Art and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Cleveland Institute of Art (69% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $8,600 more per year than Cleveland Institute of Art graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $39,400)
  • Simpson College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland Institute of Art graduates. ($27,000 vs. $29,000)
  • Simpson College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland Institute of Art graduates. ($279 vs. $299)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland Institute of Art 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/