Simpson College vs. Northland College

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

Simpson College Northland College
Location Indianola, IA Ashland, WI
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,151 518
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu northland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Northland College
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $39,719
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $39,719
Room & Board $9,654 $9,688
Avg Net Price $23,185 $23,252
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $29,780
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Northland College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,316
Admitted 1,398 900
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 68.4%
Enrolled % 21.6% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 19/25
SAT Range 890/1280 1121/1280
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 Northland College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (23%)
  • Biology (22%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Northland College
Graduation Rate 69% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $34,900
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,943
Median Loan Payment $279 $278

Diversity

Simpson College Northland College
% Men 48% 47%
% Women 52% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 83%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Simpson College Northland College
% In-State 67% 36%
% Out-of-State 32% 50%

Campus

Simpson College Northland College
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 Northland College based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 518 students)

Simpson College vs. Northland College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 11.3% more expensive to attend than Northland College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $39,719.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.3% higher at Simpson College than Northland College ($44,202.00 vs. $39,719.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Northland College ($23,185 vs. $23,252)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 0.4% lower than costs at Northland College ($9,654 vs. $9,688)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Northland College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 20.5% larger than aid received Northland College ($35,898 vs. $29,780)

Simpson College vs. Northland College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northland College (1118) is 14 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Northland College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Northland College (3.3)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Northland College (68.4%)

Simpson College vs. Northland College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Northland College (69% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $13,100 more per year than Northland College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $34,900)
  • Northland College students graduate with a $57 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($26,943 vs. $27,000)
  • Northland College graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($278 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northland College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 73%)

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