Simpson College vs. Elizabethtown College

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

Simpson College Elizabethtown College
Location Indianola, IA Elizabethtown, PA
Setting Distant Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,151 2,021
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #280
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu etown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Elizabethtown College
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $35,020
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $35,020
Room & Board $9,654 $12,642
Avg Net Price $23,185 $26,723
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $21,405
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Elizabethtown College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 2,977
Admitted 1,398 2,415
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 81.1%
Enrolled % 21.6% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 25/30
SAT Range 890/1280 1070/1280
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 Elizabethtown College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Elizabethtown College
Graduation Rate 69% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Simpson College Elizabethtown College
% Men 48% 39%
% Women 52% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 86%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Simpson College Elizabethtown College
% In-State 67% 72%
% Out-of-State 32% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Elizabethtown College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (2,021 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Elizabethtown College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Elizabethtown College?

  • Simpson College is 26.2% more expensive to attend than Elizabethtown College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $35,020.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.2% higher at Simpson College than Elizabethtown College ($44,202.00 vs. $35,020.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Elizabethtown College ($23,185 vs. $26,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 31% lower than costs at Elizabethtown College ($9,654 vs. $12,642)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Elizabethtown College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 67.7% larger than aid received Elizabethtown College ($35,898 vs. $21,405)

Simpson College vs. Elizabethtown College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elizabethtown College (1125) is 21 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Elizabethtown College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Elizabethtown College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Elizabethtown College (81.1%)

Simpson College vs. Elizabethtown College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Elizabethtown 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 Elizabethtown College and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Elizabethtown College is higher than Simpson College (79% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Elizabethtown College earn on average $3,800 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $48,000)
  • Elizabethtown College and Simpson College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Elizabethtown College and Simpson College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Elizabethtown College 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/