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Simpson College
Simpson College admits nearly everyone — 86.2% of applicants. A feature, not a flaw: the page below asks whether Simpson College is worth attending, not whether you'll get in.
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Simpson College anchors the college town of Indianola, IA, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. The school maintains its United Methodist affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Computer and Information Sciences, General, where graduates median $93,749 four years out. Faculty pay averages $80,676 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 1,227 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 81.3% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 31 and 33 on the ACT composite. Put your own practice estimate on Simpson College's range with the ACT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Simpson College is test-optional — scores count when submitted, none required. Simpson College's submitters' middle half scored 31–33 on the ACT; read that as the stronger-tester end of the admitted class.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 31 | 31 | 33 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Simpson College received 1,646 applications and admitted 1,463 (88.9%), with 342 enrolling.
How Simpson College compares
| Simpson College | Iowa median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 86.2% | 80.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $47,656 | $36,684 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $59,274 | $55,396 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Simpson College student earns $59,274 — 7% above the Iowa median of $55,396 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
Simpson College lists tuition at $47,656 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Simpson College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $47,656 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 1,227 undergraduates, Simpson College is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
63.3% graduate within six years. Roughly 37% don't — ask a Simpson College tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Simpson College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $93,749 |
| Computer Science | $91,318 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $76,272 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $69,958 |
| Mathematics | $65,097 |
| Political Science and Government | $63,790 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $61,219 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,279 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $54,919 |
| Psychology, General | $49,966 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $49,696 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $46,495 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $46,237 |
Median earnings for these 13 Simpson College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $59,274 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 34 additional Simpson College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Simpson College?
The middle 50% of Simpson College's submitters earned ACT composites of 31–33; no GPA cutoff is published.
What is Simpson College's acceptance rate?
88.9% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 1,463 admitted from 1,646 applicants.
How much does Simpson College cost?
At Simpson College, published tuition is $47,656 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Simpson College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Simpson College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $59,274 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Iowa
- Upper Iowa University — 96.5% admitted
- University of Northern Iowa — 92.7% admitted
- Mercy College of Health Sciences — 99.7% admitted
- Maharishi International University — 95.7% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.