Simpson College vs. Northwestern College

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

Simpson College Northwestern College
Location Indianola, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,151 3,253
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #554
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $34,490
Room & Board $9,654 $10,644
Avg Net Price $23,185 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,349
Admitted 1,398 1,248
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 92.5%
Enrolled % 21.6% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 21/28
SAT Range 890/1280 1015/1311
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Simpson College Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 69% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $279 $228

Diversity

Simpson College Northwestern College
% Men 48% 39%
% Women 52% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 84%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Simpson College Northwestern College
% In-State 67% 77%
% Out-of-State 32% 22%

Campus

Simpson College Northwestern 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

  • Northwestern College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (3,253 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 28.2% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $34,490.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.2% higher at Simpson College than Northwestern College ($44,202.00 vs. $34,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Northwestern College ($23,185 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 10.3% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,654 vs. $10,644)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 75.2% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($35,898 vs. $20,487)

Simpson College vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 2 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Simpson College (89.1%)

Simpson College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Northwestern College (69% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $6,900 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $4,930 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($22,070 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($228 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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