Wheaton College vs. Drake

Should I go to Wheaton College or Drake University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or Drake 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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Wheaton College vs. Drake University comparison
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Wheaton College Drake University
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Overview

Wheaton College Drake
Location Wheaton, IL Des Moines, IA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 2,885 4,685
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #149
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu drake.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Drake
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $47,564
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $47,564
Room & Board $11,690 $11,570
Avg Net Price $29,961 $30,333
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $31,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Wheaton College Drake
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 8,621
Admitted 1,674 5,796
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 67.2%
Enrolled % 30.1% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 25/30
SAT Range 1250/1430 1110/1340
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

Academics

Wheaton College Drake
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Drake
Graduation Rate 87% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $68,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $268

Diversity

Wheaton College Drake
% Men 43% 37%
% Women 57% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 79%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Wheaton College Drake
% In-State 23% 35%
% Out-of-State 70% 63%

Campus

Wheaton College Drake
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Drake University is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (4,685 students vs. 2,885 students)

Wheaton College vs. Drake Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Drake?

  • Drake University is 13.3% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($47,564.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.3% higher at Drake than Wheaton College ($47,564.00 vs. $41,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Drake ($29,961 vs. $30,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 1% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($11,570 vs. $11,690)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College as Drake University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 28.8% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($31,274 vs. $24,272)

Wheaton College vs. Drake Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 90 points higher than at Drake (1224)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Drake (27)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Drake (3.7)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Drake (67.2%)

Wheaton College vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Drake? 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 Drake and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Drake University (87% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $14,200 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $54,300)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Drake students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 84%)

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