Simpson College Demographics & Diversity

6/10 Overall Rating
4 Year
Indianola, IA
2.0 1 review

#6 Best Private Colleges in Iowa

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Racial Demographics & Diversity

Racial Diversity

Extremely Low

Racial Diversity Index: 17%

Racial diversity is the chance that two students chosen at random are from different racial or ethnic groups, using the U.S. Census Bureau Diversity Index. Students at Simpson College are mostly White with a small Hispanic population. The school has extremely low racial diversity. 12% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.

Racial demographics of Simpson College students
Race	Percent of Students
White	88%
Black	2%
Hispanic	3%
Asian	2%
American Indian / Alaskan	0%
Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	0%
Two or more races	1%
International	0%
Race Unknown	3%

Gender Demographics & Diversity

Gender Diversity

Very High

Gender Diversity Index: 50%

There are 0.5% more male students than female students enrolled at Simpson College with a gender ratio of 50% men to 50% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, Simpson College has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.

Male to female gender ratio for Simpson College students
Gender	Percent of Students
Men	50%
Women	50%

Enrollment by gender for Simpson College students
Gender	Number of Students
Men	627
Women	624

Geographic Diversity

Very Low

Geographic Diversity Index: 25%

Simpson College draws 75 percent of students from Iowa, 23 percent from other states, and 2 percent from other countries. Geographic diversity is the share of students from outside Iowa, including other U.S. states and other countries.

Enrollment by geographic location for Simpson College students
Origin	Percent of Students
In State	75%
Out of State	23%
Foreign	2%
Unknown Location	0%

Economic Diversity

Median Household Income

$60,274 per year

39% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.

Total Enrollment

Total enrollment

1,251

Share of undergraduates by age and part-time status
Segment	Percent of Students
Students Over 25 Years Old	15.7%
Part-time undergraduates	10.9%

Other Colleges to Consider

Students applying to Simpson College often consider these colleges

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

Public 4 Year

Central College

Pella, Iowa

Private 4 Year

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa

Private 4 Year

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Public 4 Year

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Private 4 Year

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=154350.

Racial and gender diversity ratings use the U.S. Census Bureau Diversity Index (Gini-Simpson): the probability that two students chosen at random belong to different groups. See the Census method note, Measuring Racial and Ethnic Diversity for the 2020 Census. Geographic diversity is the share of students from outside the college's home state (other U.S. states plus international). IPEDS does not publish enrollment by individual state of residence.

Last updated: August 2026