Simpson College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester

Should I go to Simpson College or University of Minnesota Rochester? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Simpson College or University of Minnesota-Rochester 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. University of Minnesota Rochester comparison
Simpson College University of Minnesota Rochester College 3 College 4
Simpson College
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Overview

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Location Indianola, IA Rochester, MN
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,151 630
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #412
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $12,808
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $12,808
Room & Board $9,654 $12,882
Avg Net Price $23,185 $12,613
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $11,833
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 67%

Admission

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,198
Admitted 1,398 859
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 71.7%
Enrolled % 21.6% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 20/26
SAT Range 890/1280 1058/1331
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 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
Graduation Rate 69% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $279 $208

Diversity

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
% Men 48% 20%
% Women 52% 80%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 79%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
% In-State 67% 78%
% Out-of-State 32% 21%

Campus

Simpson College University of Minnesota-Rochester
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 University of Minnesota-Rochester based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 630 students)

Simpson College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or University of Minnesota-Rochester?

  • Simpson College is 245.1% more expensive to attend than University of Minnesota-Rochester for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $12,808.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 245.1% higher at Simpson College than University of Minnesota Rochester ($44,202.00 vs. $12,808.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Rochester than Simpson College ($12,613 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 33.4% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Rochester ($9,654 vs. $12,882)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than University of Minnesota Rochester (100% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 203.4% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Rochester ($35,898 vs. $11,833)

Simpson College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Rochester (1110) is 6 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at University of Minnesota-Rochester (24)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than University of Minnesota-Rochester (71.7%)

Simpson College vs. University of Minnesota-Rochester Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or University of Minnesota-Rochester? 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 University of Minnesota-Rochester and Simpson College.

  • Graduates from University of Minnesota Rochester earn on average $10,200 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $48,000)
  • University of Minnesota Rochester students graduate with a $6,815 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($20,185 vs. $27,000)
  • University of Minnesota-Rochester graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($208 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Minnesota-Rochester 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/