Simpson College vs. WLC

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

Simpson College WLC
Location Indianola, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,151 1,086
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #532
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College WLC
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $33,210
Room & Board $9,654 $11,380
Avg Net Price $23,185 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,474
Admitted 1,398 1,383
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 93.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 22/27
SAT Range 890/1280 1038/1243
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 WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Simpson College WLC
Graduation Rate 69% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Simpson College WLC
% Men 48% 44%
% Women 52% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 83%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Simpson College WLC
% In-State 67% 66%
% Out-of-State 32% 33%

Campus

Simpson College WLC
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 WLC based on total student enrollment (1,151 students vs. 1,086 students)

Simpson College vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or WLC?

  • Simpson College is 33.1% more expensive to attend than WLC for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $33,210.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.1% higher at Simpson College than Wisconsin Lutheran College ($44,202.00 vs. $33,210.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Simpson College ($22,682 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 17.9% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($9,654 vs. $11,380)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Wisconsin Lutheran College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 55.2% larger than aid received Wisconsin Lutheran College ($35,898 vs. $23,128)

Simpson College vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 3 points higher than at WLC (1101)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WLC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than Simpson College (89.1%)

Simpson College vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or WLC? 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 WLC and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (69% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $5,000 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $43,000)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • WLC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Simpson College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 77%)

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