Wheaton College vs. Houghton College

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

 Wheaton College Houghton College
Location Wheaton, IL Houghton, NY
Setting Large Suburban Remote Rural
Enrollment 2,799 1,014
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #447
Religious Affiliation Undenominational Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu houghton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College Houghton College
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $16,690
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $16,690
Room & Board $12,390 $10,810
Avg Net Price $31,346 $22,358
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $7,149
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Wheaton College Houghton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 1,068
Admitted 1,679 990
Acceptance Rate 90% 92.7%
Enrolled % 32.9% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.25
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 23/28
SAT Range 1260/1440 1180/1390
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 Houghton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College Houghton College
Graduation Rate 87% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $263

Diversity

 Wheaton College Houghton College
% Men 10% 1%
% Women 14% 3%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 78%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Wheaton College Houghton College
% In-State 21% 57%
% Out-of-State 54% 43%

Campus

 Wheaton College Houghton College
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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Houghton College based on total student enrollment (2,799 students vs. 1,014 students)

Wheaton College vs. Houghton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Houghton College?

  • Wheaton College is 161.7% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($43,670.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 161.7% higher at Wheaton College than Houghton College ($43,670.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than Wheaton College ($22,358 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 14.6% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($10,810 vs. $12,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Wheaton College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 252.4% larger than aid received Houghton College ($25,196 vs. $7,149)

Wheaton College vs. Houghton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 204 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Houghton College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Wheaton College (90%)

Wheaton College vs. Houghton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Houghton 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 Houghton College and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Houghton College (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $10,000 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $44,300)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Houghton College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,500)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Houghton College graduates. ($232 vs. $263)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 77%)

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