Simpson College vs. MCAD

Should I go to Simpson College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Simpson College or MCAD 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. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Simpson College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Simpson College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Overview

 Simpson College MCAD
Location Indianola, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,151 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Simpson College MCAD
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $42,110
Room & Board $9,654 $7,290
Avg Net Price $23,185 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Simpson College MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 668
Admitted 1,398 380
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 56.9%
Enrolled % 21.6% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 19/27
SAT Range 890/1280 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Simpson College MCAD
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%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Simpson College MCAD
Graduation Rate 69% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $279 $266

Diversity

 Simpson College MCAD
% Men 48% 31%
% Women 52% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 59%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 16%

Students

 Simpson College MCAD
% In-State 67% 61%
% Out-of-State 32% 34%

Campus

 Simpson College MCAD
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 MCAD based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 821 students)

Simpson College vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or MCAD?

  • Simpson College is 5% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at Simpson College than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($44,202.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than MCAD ($23,185 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 32.4% lower than costs at Simpson College ($7,290 vs. $9,654)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Minneapolis College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 37.9% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($35,898 vs. $26,025)

Simpson College vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 8 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than MCAD (56.9%)

Simpson College vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Simpson College (70% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $6,500 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $41,500)
  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,750 vs. $27,000)
  • MCAD graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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