CAU vs. Northwestern College

Should I go to Clark Atlanta University or Northwestern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CAU 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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Clark Atlanta University vs. Northwestern College comparison
Clark Atlanta University Northwestern College College 3 College 4
Clark Atlanta University
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Overview

 CAU Northwestern College
Location Atlanta, GA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,000 3,253
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #554
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CAU Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $34,490
Room & Board $10,982 $10,644
Avg Net Price $30,015 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

 CAU Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 1,349
Admitted 9,088 1,248
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 92.5%
Enrolled % 12.7% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.58
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 21/28
SAT Range 880/1120 1015/1311
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 Apr 1, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 CAU Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

 CAU Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 41% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $320 $228

Diversity

 CAU Northwestern College
% Men 24% 39%
% Women 76% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 84%
% Black 84% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 13% 1%

Students

 CAU Northwestern College
% In-State 27% 77%
% Out-of-State 72% 22%

Campus

 CAU Northwestern College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (4,000 students vs. 3,253 students)

CAU vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 57.1% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.1% higher at Northwestern College than Clark Atlanta University ($34,490.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than CAU ($25,704 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 3.2% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($10,644 vs. $10,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Clark Atlanta University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 117.2% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($20,487 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1102) is 252 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Clark Atlanta University (64% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern College earn on average $2,700 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $8,930 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($22,070 vs. $31,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($228 vs. $320)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 30%)

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