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Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa · Private nonprofit · 4-year · Town

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At a glance

Average net price
$25,907What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
80%
Graduation rate
65%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
1,175
In-state tuition
$36,710Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$36,710
SAT midpoint
1,090
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$49,802Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$25,907

Better than 35% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).

Completion

65%

Better than 63% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).

Earnings

$49,802

Better than 37% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).

Debt at graduation

$23,249

Better than 64% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$49,783

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$25,907

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?
Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Northwestern College
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time65%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return74%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$23,249
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$49,802

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Northwestern College by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$71,47919
Business Administration, Management and Operations$48,51558
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$42,44143
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessNot reported22
Social WorkNot reported15
Biology, GeneralNot reported12
Accounting and Related ServicesNot reported12
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationNot reported11
Psychology, GeneralNot reported8
EconomicsNot reported7
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNot reported7
Design and Applied ArtsNot reported7
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsNot reported6
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftNot reported5
MusicNot reported5
Computer ScienceNot reported5
Political Science and GovernmentNot reported5
Religion/Religious StudiesNot reported5
MathematicsNot reported5
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsNot reported4
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasNot reported4
HistoryNot reported3
Religious EducationNot reported3
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyNot reported3
Visual and Performing Arts, OtherNot reported2
ChemistryNot reported2
GeneticsNot reported2
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesNot reported1
Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsNot reportedNot reported
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsNot reportedNot reported
SociologyNot reportedNot reported
Fine and Studio ArtsNot reportedNot reported
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesNot reportedNot reported
Computer EngineeringNot reportedNot reported
StatisticsNot reportedNot reported
English Language and Literature, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyNot reportedNot reported
Special Education and TeachingNot reportedNot reported
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsNot reportedNot reported
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsNot reportedNot reported
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
JournalismNot reportedNot reported

All 42 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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