Simpson College vs. Stephens College

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

Simpson College Stephens College
Location Indianola, IA Columbia, MO
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,163 532
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #407
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu stephens.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Stephens College
Tuition (In State) $45,306 $27,000
Tuition (Out of State) $45,306 $27,000
Room & Board $10,088 $13,098
Avg Net Price $23,637 $23,261
Avg Grant Aid $35,240 $19,424
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Stephens College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,646 414
Admitted 1,463 379
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 91.5%
Enrolled % 23.4% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 16/23
SAT Range 890/1280 1130/1270
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, 2026 Nov 1, 2025

Academics

Simpson College Stephens College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (36%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (6%)
  • English and Literature (4%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Stephens College
Graduation Rate 69% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Simpson College Stephens College
% Men 1% 5%
% Women 1% 28%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 88% 69%
% Black 2% 15%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 1% 6%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Simpson College Stephens College
% In-State 72% 54%
% Out-of-State 27% 41%

Campus

Simpson College Stephens College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Simpson College is larger than than Stephens College based on total student enrollment (1,163 students vs. 532 students)

Simpson College vs. Stephens College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 67.8% more expensive to attend than Stephens College for in-state tuition ($45,306.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.8% higher at Simpson College than Stephens College ($45,306.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stephens College than Simpson College ($23,261 vs. $23,637)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 29.8% lower than costs at Stephens College ($10,088 vs. $13,098)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Stephens College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 81.4% larger than aid received Stephens College ($35,240 vs. $19,424)

Simpson College vs. Stephens College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 68 points higher than at Stephens College (1036)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Stephens College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Stephens College (3.27)
  • Stephens College has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Simpson College (88.9%)

Simpson College vs. Stephens College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Stephens College (69% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $10,600 more per year than Stephens College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $37,400)
  • Stephens College and Simpson College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Stephens College and Simpson College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Stephens College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 63%)

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