Luther- Norse vs. Calvin College

Should I go to Luther College or Calvin College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Luther- Norse or Calvin 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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Luther College vs. Calvin College comparison
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Luther College Calvin College
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Overview

Luther- Norse Calvin College
Location Decorah, IA Grand Rapids, MI
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,610 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #336 #284
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Christian Reformed Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luther.edu calvin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Luther- Norse Calvin College
Tuition (In State) $47,510 $38,370
Tuition (Out of State) $47,510 $38,370
Room & Board $10,670 $11,150
Avg Net Price $25,734 $25,775
Avg Grant Aid $35,441 $26,448
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Luther- Norse Calvin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,188 4,079
Admitted 1,648 3,027
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 74.2%
Enrolled % 24.3% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.84
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 25/30
SAT Range 1075/1330 1120/1370
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

Academics

Luther- Norse Calvin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Luther- Norse Calvin College
Graduation Rate 69% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $47,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,449
Median Loan Payment $279 $273

Diversity

Luther- Norse Calvin College
% Men 45% 46%
% Women 55% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 74%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Luther- Norse Calvin College
% In-State 26% 51%
% Out-of-State 60% 33%

Campus

Luther- Norse Calvin 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

  • Calvin College is larger than than Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 1,610 students)

Luther- Norse vs. Calvin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or Calvin College?

  • Luther College is 23.8% more expensive to attend than Calvin College for in-state tuition ($47,510.00 vs. $38,370.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.8% higher at Luther- Norse than Calvin College ($47,510.00 vs. $38,370.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Luther College than Calvin College ($25,734 vs. $25,775)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 4.5% lower than costs at Calvin College ($10,670 vs. $11,150)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Luther College as Calvin College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 34% larger than aid received Calvin College ($35,441 vs. $26,448)

Luther- Norse vs. Calvin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Calvin College (1202) is 23 points higher than at Luther- Norse (1179)
  • Incoming Calvin College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Luther- Norse (26)
  • Accepted freshman Calvin College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Luther- Norse (3.65)
  • Luther- Norse has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Calvin College (74.2%)

Luther- Norse vs. Calvin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Luther- Norse or Calvin 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 Calvin College and Luther- Norse.

  • The graduation rate at Calvin College is higher than Luther College (77% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Luther College earn on average $3,000 more per year than Calvin College graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $47,000)
  • Calvin College students graduate with a $551 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($26,449 vs. $27,000)
  • Calvin College graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($273 vs. $279)
  • More Luther- Norse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Calvin College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 81%)

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