Simpson College vs. Wartburg College

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

Simpson College Wartburg College
Location Indianola, IA Waverly, IA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,151 1,444
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #654
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu wartburg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Wartburg College
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $46,740
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $46,740
Room & Board $9,654 $10,280
Avg Net Price $23,185 $23,683
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $36,157
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Simpson College Wartburg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 2,779
Admitted 1,398 2,708
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 97.4%
Enrolled % 21.6% 13%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/25
SAT Range 890/1280 970/1120
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 Wartburg College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Wartburg College
Graduation Rate 69% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Simpson College Wartburg College
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 77%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Simpson College Wartburg College
% In-State 67% 70%
% Out-of-State 32% 27%

Campus

Simpson College Wartburg 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

  • Wartburg College is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (1,444 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Wartburg College Cost Comparison

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

  • Wartburg College is 5.7% more expensive to attend than Simpson College for in-state tuition ($46,740.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at Wartburg College than Simpson College ($46,740.00 vs. $44,202.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Wartburg College ($23,185 vs. $23,683)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 6.5% lower than costs at Wartburg College ($9,654 vs. $10,280)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Wartburg College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 0.7% larger than aid received Simpson College ($36,157 vs. $35,898)

Simpson College vs. Wartburg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 1 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Wartburg College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Wartburg College (3.48)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Simpson College (89.1%)

Simpson College vs. Wartburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Wartburg College (69% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $100 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $48,000)
  • Wartburg College and Simpson College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wartburg College and Simpson College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 77%)

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