Central College vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Central College or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central 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.

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Central College vs. Northwestern College comparison
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Overview

Central College Northwestern College
Location Pella, IA Orange City, IA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,169 1,651
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #638
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu nwciowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $34,000
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $34,000
Room & Board $10,860 $10,200
Avg Net Price $23,303 $25,198
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $22,228
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Central College Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 1,105
Admitted 1,561 965
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 87.3%
Enrolled % 22.5% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/27
SAT Range 1040/1218 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

Academics

Central College Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Central College Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 63% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,092
Median Loan Payment $279 $259

Diversity

Central College Northwestern College
% Men 52% 39%
% Women 48% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 83%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Central College Northwestern College
% In-State 73% 55%
% Out-of-State 26% 42%

Campus

Central 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

  • Northwestern College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,651 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

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

  • Northwestern College is 71.7% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($34,000.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 71.7% higher at Northwestern College than Central College ($34,000.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than Northwestern College ($23,303 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 6.5% lower than costs at Central College ($10,200 vs. $10,860)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Northwestern College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 102.1% larger than aid received Central College ($22,228 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 73 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (87.3%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central 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 Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Central College (66% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $9,600 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,908 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($25,092 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($259 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 78%)

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