SWIC vs. Northwestern College

Deciding between Southwestern Illinois College and Northwestern College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SWIC Belleville, IL
  • Northwestern College Oak Lawn, IL
  • Setting
  • SWIC Rural Fringe
  • Northwestern College Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • SWIC 8,492
  • Northwestern College 464
  • Type
  • SWIC Public 2 Year
  • Northwestern College Private 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SWIC -
  • Northwestern College -
  • Status
  • SWIC Non-profit
  • Northwestern College For-profit
  • Website
  • SWIC swic.edu
  • Northwestern College
  • Team Colors
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SWIC $3,960
  • Northwestern College $18,280
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SWIC $6,720
  • Northwestern College $18,280
  • Room & Board
  • SWIC $11,910
  • Northwestern College $8,100
  • Average Net Price
  • SWIC $10,147
  • Northwestern College -
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SWIC $6,073
  • Northwestern College $0
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SWIC 55%
  • Northwestern College 0%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SWIC -
  • Northwestern College -
  • Admitted
  • SWIC -
  • Northwestern College -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SWIC Open
  • Northwestern College
  • Enrolled
  • SWIC Open
  • Northwestern College
  • Typical SAT score
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • Typical ACT score
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • Average High School GPA
  • SWIC -
  • Northwestern College -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SWIC -
  • Northwestern College -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SWIC Unavailable
  • Northwestern College Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • ACT Range
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • SAT Range
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SWIC Open admission
  • Northwestern College Not reported
  • Application Deadline
  • SWIC
  • Northwestern College
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SWIC 17:1
  • Northwestern College 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SWIC
    • Health Professions (24%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
    • Precision Production Trades (13%)
    • General Studies (8%)
  • Northwestern College
    • Health Professions (52%)
    • Business (20%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Legal Professions (14%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SWIC -
  • Northwestern College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SWIC $30,100
  • Northwestern College $32,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SWIC 34%
  • Northwestern College 22%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SWIC $6,975
  • Northwestern College $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SWIC $72
  • Northwestern College $279
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SWIC 44%
  • Northwestern College 4%
  • % Women
  • SWIC 56%
  • Northwestern College 96%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SWIC Medium
  • Northwestern College Very High
  • HBCU
  • SWIC No
  • Northwestern College No
  • % White
  • SWIC 65%
  • Northwestern College 21%
  • % Asian
  • SWIC 1%
  • Northwestern College 1%
  • % Black
  • SWIC 21%
  • Northwestern College 46%
  • % Hispanic
  • SWIC 4%
  • Northwestern College 15%
  • % Native American
  • SWIC 0%
  • Northwestern College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SWIC 0%
  • Northwestern College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SWIC 5%
  • Northwestern College 13%
  • % International
  • SWIC 0%
  • Northwestern College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SWIC 4%
  • Northwestern College 3%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SWIC 95%
  • Northwestern College 74%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SWIC 5%
  • Northwestern College 26%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • SWIC No
  • Northwestern College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • SWIC No
  • Northwestern College No
  • Meal Plan
  • SWIC No
  • Northwestern College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • SWIC Yes
  • Northwestern College Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • SWIC Yes
  • Northwestern College No

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL with Northwestern College in Oak Lawn, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Illinois College is larger than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (8,492 students vs. 464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Northwestern College is in Oak Lawn, IL (Large Suburban setting).
  • Southwestern Illinois College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northwestern College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwestern Illinois College 17:1; Northwestern College 12:1.

SWIC vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWIC or Northwestern College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 32% lower than at Southwestern Illinois College ($8,100 vs. $11,910).
  • Northwestern College is 136.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SWIC (about $10,540 more per year; $18,280.00 vs. $7,740.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 172% higher at Northwestern College than at Southwestern Illinois College (about $11,560 more per year; $18,280.00 vs. $6,720.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Illinois College than at Northwestern College (55% vs. 0%).

SWIC vs. Northwestern College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWIC or Northwestern College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Northwestern College and SWIC.

  • Southwestern Illinois College reports an open admissions policy.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SWIC - Open admission; Northwestern College - Not reported.

SWIC vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SWIC and Northwestern College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Northwestern College earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than SWIC graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,000 vs. $30,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern Illinois College graduates have a $20,025 lower median loan debt than Northwestern College graduates ($6,975 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, SWIC graduates have an estimated $207 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Northwestern College graduates ($72 vs. $279).
  • More SWIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 22%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.