Northwestern College vs. W&J

Should I go to Northwestern College or Washington & Jefferson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern College or W&J 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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Northwestern College vs. Washington & Jefferson College comparison
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Northwestern College Washington & Jefferson College
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Overview

Northwestern College W&J
Location Orange City, IA Washington, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,651 1,151
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #264
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu washjeff.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern College W&J
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $49,612
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $49,612
Room & Board $10,200 $13,524
Avg Net Price $25,198 $25,636
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $38,963
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Northwestern College W&J
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 3,414
Admitted 965 3,007
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 88.1%
Enrolled % 29.8% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/28
SAT Range 940/1240 1010/1250
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Northwestern College W&J
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Northwestern College W&J
Graduation Rate 66% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $259 $279

Diversity

Northwestern College W&J
% Men 39% 52%
% Women 61% 48%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 81%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Northwestern College W&J
% In-State 55% 72%
% Out-of-State 42% 28%

Campus

Northwestern College W&J
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 W&J based on total student enrollment (1,651 students vs. 1,151 students)

Northwestern College vs. W&J Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern College or W&J?

  • Washington & Jefferson College is 45.9% more expensive to attend than Northwestern College for in-state tuition ($49,612.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.9% higher at W&J than Northwestern College ($49,612.00 vs. $34,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern College than W&J ($25,198 vs. $25,636)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 32.6% lower than costs at Washington & Jefferson College ($10,200 vs. $13,524)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College as Washington & Jefferson College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington & Jefferson College students is 75.3% larger than aid received Northwestern College ($38,963 vs. $22,228)

Northwestern College vs. W&J Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at W&J (3.54)
  • W&J has a higher acceptance rate (88.1%) than Northwestern College (87.3%)

Northwestern College vs. W&J Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern College or W&J? 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 W&J and Northwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at W&J is higher than Northwestern College (74% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Washington & Jefferson College earn on average $18,500 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $38,400)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,908 lower median federal student loan debt than W&J graduates. ($25,092 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than W&J graduates. ($259 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former W&J students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 79%)

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