Simpson College vs. MLC

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

Simpson College MLC
Location Indianola, IA New Ulm, MN
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,151 880
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu mlc-wels.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College MLC
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $17,420
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $17,420
Room & Board $9,654 $6,880
Avg Net Price $23,185 $22,293
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $6,301
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Simpson College MLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 215
Admitted 1,398 180
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 83.7%
Enrolled % 21.6% 78.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 20/27
SAT Range 890/1280 1051/1316
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 MLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Education (67%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (33%)

Outcomes

Simpson College MLC
Graduation Rate 69% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $38,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $279 $239

Diversity

Simpson College MLC
% Men 48% 47%
% Women 52% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 93%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Simpson College MLC
% In-State 67% 20%
% Out-of-State 32% 78%

Campus

Simpson College MLC
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 MLC based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 880 students)

Simpson College vs. MLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or MLC?

  • Simpson College is 153.7% more expensive to attend than MLC for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $17,420.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 153.7% higher at Simpson College than Martin Luther College ($44,202.00 vs. $17,420.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Martin Luther College than Simpson College ($22,293 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Martin Luther College are 40.3% lower than costs at Simpson College ($6,880 vs. $9,654)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Martin Luther College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 469.7% larger than aid received Martin Luther College ($35,898 vs. $6,301)

Simpson College vs. MLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Martin Luther College (1145) is 41 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming MLC 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 MLC (3.56)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than MLC (83.7%)

Simpson College vs. MLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MLC is higher than Simpson College (73% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $10,000 more per year than MLC graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $38,000)
  • Martin Luther College students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($23,125 vs. $27,000)
  • MLC graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($239 vs. $279)
  • More MLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 77%)

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