Wheaton College vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Wheaton College or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Calvin University Pepperdine Taylor University Hope College St Olaf Cedarville University Westmont College IWU Oberlin Beloit College Loyola Kenyon
Wheaton College vs. Northwestern College comparison
Wheaton College Northwestern College College 3 College 4
Wheaton College Northwestern College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
Location Wheaton, IL Orange City, IA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,799 1,665
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #633
Religious Affiliation Undenominational Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu nwciowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $35,000
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $35,000
Room & Board $12,390 $10,700
Avg Net Price $31,346 $24,737
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $23,319
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 1,155
Admitted 1,679 1,005
Acceptance Rate 90% 87%
Enrolled % 32.9% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 20/27
SAT Range 1260/1440 940/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 87% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,092
Median Loan Payment $232 $259

Diversity

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
% Men 10% 7%
% Women 14% 24%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 83%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Wheaton College Northwestern College
% In-State 21% 55%
% Out-of-State 54% 42%

Campus

 Wheaton College Northwestern 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 Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (2,799 students vs. 1,665 students)

Wheaton College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

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

  • Wheaton College is 24.8% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($43,670.00 vs. $35,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.8% higher at Wheaton College than Northwestern College ($43,670.00 vs. $35,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than Wheaton College ($24,737 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 15.8% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($10,700 vs. $12,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Wheaton College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 8% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($25,196 vs. $23,319)

Wheaton College vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 173 points higher than at Northwestern College (1141)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Northwestern College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Northwestern College (3.57)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Northwestern College (87%)

Wheaton College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Northwestern College (87% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $15,900 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $38,400)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $2,592 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,092)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($232 vs. $259)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 85%)

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