Northwestern College is based in the town of Orange City, IA — a private campus in a small-town setting. The school reports a Reformed Church in America affiliation in its federal filings.
What could it cost?
Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.
Net price by family income
Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.
under $30k
These figures don't always rise with income — aid formulas can make a higher bracket cheaper.
Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.
Average net price at Northwestern College rose from $19,431 (2008) to $25,907 (2023).
| Year | Net price |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $19,431 |
| 2009 | $30,553 |
| 2010 | $19,946 |
| 2011 | $20,989 |
| 2012 | $19,499 |
| 2013 | $20,832 |
| 2014 | $20,310 |
| 2015 | $22,158 |
| 2016 | $23,064 |
| 2017 | $23,406 |
| 2018 | $22,968 |
| 2019 | $22,410 |
| 2020 | $23,185 |
| 2021 | $22,849 |
| 2022 | $23,519 |
| 2023 | $25,907 |
Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.
Total cost at Northwestern College rose from $33,924 (2009) to $49,783 (2024).
| Year | Cost |
|---|---|
| 2009 | $33,924 |
| 2010 | $32,911 |
| 2011 | $35,452 |
| 2012 | $37,227 |
| 2013 | $37,884 |
| 2014 | $39,236 |
| 2015 | $40,444 |
| 2016 | $41,707 |
| 2017 | $42,676 |
| 2018 | $43,520 |
| 2019 | $44,461 |
| 2020 | $45,760 |
| 2021 | $46,659 |
| 2022 | $47,339 |
| 2023 | $48,447 |
| 2024 | $49,783 |
Tuition & fees
Skip to data tablePublished tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.
| Year | Tuition & fees |
|---|---|
| 2000 | $13,000 |
| 2001 | $13,750 |
| 2002 | $14,290 |
| 2003 | $15,290 |
| 2004 | $16,360 |
| 2005 | $17,260 |
| 2006 | $18,296 |
| 2007 | $21,648 |
| 2008 | $22,950 |
| 2013 | $26,764 |
| 2014 | $27,860 |
| 2015 | $28,950 |
| 2016 | $29,500 |
| 2017 | $30,200 |
| 2018 | $31,100 |
| 2019 | $32,300 |
| 2020 | $32,920 |
| 2021 | $33,590 |
| 2022 | $34,250 |
| 2023 | $35,300 |
Cost, size & completion summary
Cost, size & completion
Reported tuition is $36,710 before grants and other attendance costs. At Northwestern College, aid and other costs change the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.
Enrollment sits at 1,175 — Northwestern College is one of the smaller campuses on this site.
66% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Northwestern College within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.
Do students finish — and what comes after?
Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.
The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.
The six-year graduation rate at Northwestern College rose from 56.1% (entered 1991) to 66% (entered 2018).
A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.
| Year | Graduated within 6 yrs |
|---|---|
| 1991 cohort | 56.1% |
| 1992 cohort | 54.7% |
| 1993 cohort | 51.1% |
| 1994 cohort | 50.6% |
| 1995 cohort | 53.8% |
| 1996 cohort | 55.6% |
| 1997 cohort | 59.2% |
| 1998 cohort | 57.4% |
| 1999 cohort | 59.6% |
| 2000 cohort | 64% |
| 2001 cohort | 61.5% |
| 2002 cohort | 60.1% |
| 2003 cohort | 60% |
| 2004 cohort | 65.5% |
| 2005 cohort | 65.5% |
| 2006 cohort | 62.5% |
| 2007 cohort | 63.3% |
| 2008 cohort | 63.1% |
| 2009 cohort | 66.8% |
| 2010 cohort | 64.1% |
| 2011 cohort | 67.9% |
| 2012 cohort | 68.5% |
| 2013 cohort | 67.6% |
| 2014 cohort | 68.6% |
| 2015 cohort | 70.8% |
| 2016 cohort | 63% |
| 2017 cohort | 63.6% |
| 2018 cohort | 66% |
Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)
Historical student groupsMedian federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.
Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.
These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.
| Year | Completed | Left without degree |
|---|---|---|
| Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99) | $14,758 | $7,273 |
| Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00) | $14,758 | $6,625 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02) | $14,897 | $6,125 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03) | $15,625 | $4,375 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04) | $16,566 | $4,375 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05) | $17,084 | $3,313 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06) | $17,119 | $2,813 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07) | $17,125 | $3,500 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08) | $17,125 | $4,500 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09) | $17,125 | $5,781 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10) | $19,125 | $7,250 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11) | $22,125 | $5,875 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12) | $25,000 | $5,500 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13) | $25,000 | $7,125 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14) | $25,000 | $8,000 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15) | $25,569 | $8,375 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16) | $25,221 | $8,750 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17) | $24,250 | $8,750 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18) | $23,000 | $7,002 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19) | $22,500 | $6,523 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20) | $23,250 | $6,500 |
| Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21) | $23,249 | $8,750 |
Earnings after entry
Historical student groupsMedian annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.
Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.
Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.
What does the admissions record show?
Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.
Admissions snapshot & test policies
Northwestern College admitted 1,203 of 1,497 applicants in Fall 2024. The 80.4% rate describes that application pool.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
Admissions
In the Fall 2024 cycle, Northwestern College received 1,497 applications and admitted 1,203 (80.4%), with 327 enrolling.
Northwestern College did not consider scores in the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. No score range is displayed for Northwestern College under that historical policy.
Check current requirements with admissions.
The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.
| Year | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|
| Fall 2001 | 86% |
| Fall 2002 | 70.7% |
| Fall 2003 | 83.1% |
| Fall 2004 | 85.2% |
| Fall 2005 | 92.9% |
| Fall 2006 | 83.7% |
| Fall 2007 | 78.9% |
| Fall 2008 | 80.6% |
| Fall 2009 | 75.1% |
| Fall 2010 | 70.4% |
| Fall 2011 | 74.4% |
| Fall 2012 | 73.6% |
| Fall 2013 | 76.1% |
| Fall 2014 | 77.8% |
| Fall 2015 | 72.1% |
| Fall 2016 | 65.5% |
| Fall 2017 | 68.1% |
| Fall 2018 | 71.4% |
| Fall 2019 | 69.5% |
| Fall 2020 | 73.8% |
| Fall 2021 | 83% |
| Fall 2022 | 87.3% |
| Fall 2023 | 87% |
| Fall 2024 | 80.4% |
Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.
| Year | 25th | 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2002 | 990 | 1240 |
| Fall 2011 | 920 | 1146 |
| Fall 2012 | 870 | 1235 |
| Fall 2013 | 893 | 1185 |
| Fall 2014 | 945 | 1240 |
| Fall 2015 | 940 | 1280 |
| Fall 2016 | 915 | 1170 |
| Fall 2017 | 995 | 1235 |
| Fall 2018 | 1050 | 1250 |
| Fall 2019 | 1030 | 1250 |
| Fall 2020 | 1010 | 1210 |
| Fall 2021 | 940 | 1240 |
The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.
| Year | 25th | 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2002 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2003 | 21 | 26 |
| Fall 2004 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2005 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2006 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2007 | 22 | 27 |
| Fall 2008 | 22 | 27 |
| Fall 2009 | 21 | 28 |
| Fall 2010 | 22 | 27 |
| Fall 2011 | 22 | 27 |
| Fall 2012 | 22 | 27 |
| Fall 2013 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2014 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2015 | 22 | 28 |
| Fall 2016 | 21 | 28 |
| Fall 2017 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2018 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2019 | 21 | 27 |
| Fall 2020 | 20 | 26 |
| Fall 2021 | 20 | 27 |
What is the campus like?
Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.
Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.
Undergraduate enrollment at Northwestern College has wandered from Fall 2002 to Fall 2024 — up to 1,315 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at 1,175.
| Year | Undergraduates |
|---|---|
| Fall 2002 | 1,304 |
| Fall 2003 | 1,250 |
| Fall 2004 | 1,245 |
| Fall 2005 | 1,247 |
| Fall 2006 | 1,288 |
| Fall 2007 | 1,315 |
| Fall 2008 | 1,226 |
| Fall 2009 | 1,167 |
| Fall 2010 | 1,197 |
| Fall 2011 | 1,184 |
| Fall 2012 | 1,189 |
| Fall 2013 | 1,147 |
| Fall 2014 | 1,113 |
| Fall 2015 | 1,084 |
| Fall 2016 | 1,076 |
| Fall 2017 | 1,014 |
| Fall 2018 | 1,006 |
| Fall 2019 | 1,038 |
| Fall 2020 | 1,040 |
| Fall 2021 | 1,030 |
| Fall 2022 | 1,106 |
| Fall 2023 | 1,125 |
| Fall 2024 | 1,175 |
The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.
First-year retention at Northwestern College has held near 73% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.
| Year | Retention |
|---|---|
| Fall 2002 cohort | 77% |
| Fall 2003 cohort | 74% |
| Fall 2004 cohort | 76% |
| Fall 2005 cohort | 81% |
| Fall 2006 cohort | 75% |
| Fall 2007 cohort | 76% |
| Fall 2008 cohort | 77% |
| Fall 2009 cohort | 79% |
| Fall 2010 cohort | 75% |
| Fall 2011 cohort | 77% |
| Fall 2012 cohort | 79% |
| Fall 2013 cohort | 77% |
| Fall 2014 cohort | 82% |
| Fall 2015 cohort | 82% |
| Fall 2016 cohort | 77% |
| Fall 2017 cohort | 75% |
| Fall 2018 cohort | 76% |
| Fall 2019 cohort | 79% |
| Fall 2020 cohort | 83% |
| Fall 2021 cohort | 78% |
| Fall 2022 cohort | 80% |
| Fall 2023 cohort | 73% |
More about Northwestern College
24.7% of Northwestern College's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Northwestern College as a primarily residential campus of 1,175 undergraduates — and 73.5% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.
Northwestern College reported not considering test scores in Fall 2024, when its admission rate was 80.4%. Review Northwestern College's current requirements before applying; use the GPA calculator for your semester numbers.
Why some charts are marked “key chart”
Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.
How Northwestern College compares
State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.
Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.
Acceptance rate
Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS
Tuition
Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid
Median earnings (10 yr)
Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot
Northwestern College's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.
View comparison data & dates
| Metric & basis | Northwestern College | Iowa median | National median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS | 80.4% | 80.1% | 76.8% |
| TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid | $36,710 | $36,684 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot | $49,802 | $55,396 | $53,781 |
Published earnings by bachelor's field of study
For Northwestern College, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.
Northwestern College federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.
View 5 fields & earnings
| Bachelor's field of study (CIP category) | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $71,322 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $68,565 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $59,192 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $51,829 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $47,640 |
These 5 fields listed for Northwestern College measure earnings after completion. The $49,802 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 37 additional Northwestern College fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What test-score data does Northwestern College report?
Northwestern College did not consider scores in Fall 2024: 80.4% admitted. Check current requirements.
What is Northwestern College's acceptance rate?
80.4% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 1,203 admitted from 1,497 applicants.
How much does Northwestern College cost?
At Northwestern College, tuition is $36,710. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.
What earnings data does Northwestern College report?
Median earnings ten years after entry: $49,802. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.
Similar colleges in Iowa
- Mount Mercy University — 82.5% admitted
- Morningside University — 71% admitted
- Saint Ambrose University — 77.3% admitted
- Luther College — 71.5% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.