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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

St Olaf Wheaton College ISU Central College WLC Wartburg College UNI Coe College
Simpson College vs. Martin Luther College comparison
Simpson College Martin Luther College College 3 College 4
Simpson College Martin Luther College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Simpson College MLC
Location Indianola, IA New Ulm, MN
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,163 860
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #407
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) $45,306 $17,770
Tuition (Out of State) $45,306 $17,770
Room & Board $10,088 $7,280
Avg Net Price $23,637 $21,072
Avg Grant Aid $35,240 $8,222
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Simpson College MLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,646 218
Admitted 1,463 180
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 82.6%
Enrolled % 23.4% 83.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 22/27
SAT Range 890/1280 1078/1256
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 11:1 10:1
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 1% 6%
% Women 1% 8%
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 72% 11%
% Out-of-State 27% 89%

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 (1,163 students vs. 860 students)

Simpson College vs. MLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or MLC?

  • Simpson College is 155% more expensive to attend than MLC for in-state tuition ($45,306.00 vs. $17,770.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 155% higher at Simpson College than Martin Luther College ($45,306.00 vs. $17,770.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Martin Luther College than Simpson College ($21,072 vs. $23,637)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Martin Luther College are 38.6% lower than costs at Simpson College ($7,280 vs. $10,088)
  • 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 328.6% larger than aid received Martin Luther College ($35,240 vs. $8,222)

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 (88.9%) than MLC (82.6%)

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/