Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Northwestern College is a private regional university located in Orange City, Iowa. Northwestern College is very inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Northwestern College is in the bottom 25% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $44,904 10 years after enrolling, 25th in Iowa, and in the bottom 50% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Northwestern College bachelor students earn 8% less than the national average. Northwestern College is ranked 24th in Iowa.
Northwestern College’s median net annual cost of $22,410 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 4 programs at Northwestern College sorted by number of graduates - Education, Business Administration, Registered Nursing, Health & Fitness - are shown below.
Annual net cost
$22,410
Average years to graduate
4.2
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 2 graduate programs at Northwestern College - Educ. Administration, Education - are shown below.
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.2 years. 66% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Northwestern College is 1% higher than the state average, and 8% above the average for all regional universities in the country.
At Northwestern College, Pell Grant recipients represent 25% of the measured graduating class, 10% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Northwestern College graduates within 4.2 years.
Northwestern College is in the bottom 50% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Northwestern College’s economic mobility score of 8.66 is calculated by adjusting the 4.9 economic score of lower-income students by the 25% pell grant recipients within the student body. Northwestern College’s EMS of 8.66 ranks in the bottom 25% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Bottom 25%
The average Title IV recipient at Northwestern College pays $22,410 a year, $24,490 less than the $46,900 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $22,410
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Northwestern College, 100% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $22,410 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 69% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $8,491. This is 15% more than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,257
Pell grants
$4,058
State grants
$6,015
Institutional grants
$18,906
Northwestern College offers 2 online bachelor programs, one of which is held exclusively online. At the master’s level Northwestern College offers 3 programs, all of which are held exclusively online. We use the IPEDS July '20 — July '21 Distance Education report to determine which programs are online. EarningsPlus data is provided when available.
Online programs
5
Hybrid programs
1
Percentage of programs online
9%
Northwestern College's very inclusive admissions are indicated by their 83% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 1,172 applicants, of which 973 were admitted and 268 enrolled. Northwestern College has a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed as they arrive until all spaces are filled.
Full time
99%
83%
Female
55%
59%
First time
85%
59%
In-state
58%
68%
1st generation
13%
35%
White
84%
52%
Black
2%
14%
Hispanic
5%
15%
Asian
1%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
8%
12%