Simpson College vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University

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

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
Location Indianola, IA San Diego, CA
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,163 298
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #407
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu jpcatholic.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
Tuition (In State) $45,306 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $45,306 $28,500
Room & Board $10,088 $15,099
Avg Net Price $23,637 $31,811
Avg Grant Aid $35,240 $15,709
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,646 280
Admitted 1,463 222
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 79.3%Open
Enrolled % 23.4% 33.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 21/27
SAT Range 890/1280 1090/1260
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 John Paul the Great Catholic University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (26%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)

Outcomes

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
Graduation Rate 69% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 77% -
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $279 $266

Diversity

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 54%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 23%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 12%

Students

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
% In-State 72% 49%
% Out-of-State 27% 43%

Campus

Simpson College John Paul the Great Catholic University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Simpson College is larger than than John Paul the Great Catholic University based on total student enrollment (1,163 students vs. 298 students)

Simpson College vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or John Paul the Great Catholic University?

  • Simpson College is 59% more expensive to attend than John Paul the Great Catholic University for in-state tuition ($45,306.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59% higher at Simpson College than John Paul the Great Catholic University ($45,306.00 vs. $28,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than John Paul the Great Catholic University ($23,637 vs. $31,811)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 49.7% lower than costs at John Paul the Great Catholic University ($10,088 vs. $15,099)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than John Paul the Great Catholic University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 124.3% larger than aid received John Paul the Great Catholic University ($35,240 vs. $15,709)

Simpson College vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at John Paul the Great Catholic University (1106) is 2 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming John Paul the Great Catholic University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at John Paul the Great Catholic University (3.56)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than John Paul the Great Catholic University (79.3%)

Simpson College vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or John Paul the Great Catholic 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University and Simpson College.

  • John Paul the Great Catholic University students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,750 vs. $27,000)
  • John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)

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