PennWest California vs. NSU

Should I go to PennWest California or Northern State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or NSU 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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PennWest California vs. Northern State University comparison
PennWest California Northern State University College 3 College 4
PennWest California
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Overview

PennWest California NSU
Location California, PA Aberdeen, SD
Setting Town Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 6,509 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California NSU
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $10,718
Room & Board $10,416 $9,150
Avg Net Price - $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $0 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 91%

Admission

PennWest California NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,322
Admitted - 1,033
Acceptance Rate 78.1%
Enrolled % 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150 800/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2024

Academics

PennWest California NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

PennWest California NSU
Graduation Rate 53% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $258 $252

Diversity

PennWest California NSU
% Men 39% 37%
% Women 61% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 83%
% Black 12% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

PennWest California NSU
% In-State 86% 69%
% Out-of-State 13% 30%

Campus

PennWest California NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 3,344 students)

PennWest California vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or NSU?

  • PennWest California is 1.3% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8% higher at PennWest California than Northern State University ($11,574.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 13.8% lower than costs at PennWest California ($9,150 vs. $10,416)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern State University than PennWest California (91% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern State University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($5,715 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern State University (1024) is 102 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or NSU? 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 NSU and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Northern State University (53% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $5,100 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,400)
  • Northern State University students graduate with a $601 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($24,399 vs. $25,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($252 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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