A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at Northwestern College are mostly White with a small Hispanic population. The school has very low racial diversity. 17% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
83%
|
| Black |
2%
|
| Hispanic |
5%
|
| Asian |
1%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
2%
|
| International |
3%
|
| Race Unknown |
4%
|
There are 56% more female students than male students enrolled at Northwestern College with a gender ratio of 61% women to 39% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, Northwestern College has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is slightly less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
39%
|
| Women |
61%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
645
|
| Women |
1,006
|
Northwestern College serves a low number of students outside of Iowa, with 55 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
55%
|
| Out of State |
42%
|
| Foreign |
0%
|
| Unknown Location |
3%
|
26% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 3.2% |
| Part time Undergrads | 2.9% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=154101 IPEDS survey data for Northwestern College.