University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to University of Minnesota Duluth or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Minnesota-Duluth or Northwestern 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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University of Minnesota Duluth vs. Northwestern College comparison
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University of Minnesota Duluth
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Overview

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
Location Duluth, MN Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,675 3,253
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #527 #554
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umn.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $12,638 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $18,028 $34,490
Room & Board $9,638 $10,644
Avg Net Price $18,031 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $7,345 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 100%

Admission

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,512 1,349
Admitted 7,676 1,248
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 92.5%
Enrolled % 25.8% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 21/28
SAT Range 1120/1350 1015/1311
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 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 55% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $258 $228

Diversity

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
% Men 50% 39%
% Women 50% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 84%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
% In-State 84% 77%
% Out-of-State 16% 22%

Campus

University of Minnesota-Duluth Northwestern College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Minnesota Duluth is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (9,675 students vs. 3,253 students)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Minnesota-Duluth or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 172.9% more expensive to attend than University of Minnesota-Duluth for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $12,638.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91.3% higher at Northwestern College than University of Minnesota Duluth ($34,490.00 vs. $18,028.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Duluth than Northwestern College ($18,031 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Duluth are 10.4% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,638 vs. $10,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than University of Minnesota Duluth (100% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 178.9% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($20,487 vs. $7,345)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Duluth (1109) is 7 points higher than at Northwestern College (1102)
  • Incoming University of Minnesota-Duluth students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Northwestern College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (3.51)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than University of Minnesota-Duluth (80.7%)

University of Minnesota-Duluth vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Minnesota-Duluth or Northwestern 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 Northwestern College and University of Minnesota-Duluth.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than University of Minnesota Duluth (64% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from University of Minnesota Duluth earn on average $12,400 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $2,930 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($22,070 vs. $25,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($228 vs. $258)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Minnesota-Duluth students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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