Back to results
University private Verified data

Northwestern College

Orange City, IA

Northwestern College at a glance

Northwestern College is a private university in Orange City, Iowa with 1,705 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). It admitted 80% of applicants (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Its published tuition is $36,710 (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25); students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $24,929 a year after grants (College Scorecard, a prior cohort). 66% of students finish within the federal tracking window (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021); 75% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $19,000 (College Scorecard).

Tuition

$36,710

2024-25

Acceptance

80%

Fall 2024 applicants

Students

1,705

Fall 2024

Type

University

Setting

Rural

Cost & Financial Aid

In-State Tuition

$36,710

Out-of-State Tuition

$36,710

Avg On-Campus Living

$10,900

Avg Off-Campus Living

$10,900

Financial Aid & Outcomes

College Scorecard

What will it actually cost?

Sticker price: $47,610
Net price (after aid): $24,929

Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.

Net price by family income

$0 – $30k: $24,589
$30k – $48k: $25,276
$48k – $75k: $27,226 (above the federal borrowing ceiling)

Can federal loans cover it? (2026 limits)

For families earning $48k – $75k, the average net price here is above the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow federally from 1 July 2026, by up to $1,726. That part has to come from savings, income, work, or private loans.

The ceiling is $5,500 in the student’s own Direct Loan plus up to $20,000 in Parent PLUS, which requires that the parent has no adverse credit history. Net prices are averages for a prior cohort of aid recipients, not a quote. Source: Federal Student Aid loan limits. Where this gap is largest.

After graduation

Median earnings (10yr): $37,871
Median debt at graduation: $19,000
Est. monthly loan payment: $201

Earnings-to-debt ratio

Moderate · 2.0×

Graduates earn about 2.0× their median debt every year.

Financial access

Students on Pell Grants: 75%

Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.

Students with federal loans: 75%

Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.

Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.

How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.

FAFSA earnings check

: Not flagged

Northwestern College does not trigger the FAFSA's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $58,331, above the $36,709 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Iowa.

This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.

Which Iowa schools are flagged now

Student Outcomes

Graduation Rate

66%

Source: IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25 (provisional release)

Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.

Scholarships available

Decision support · Cost & value

Quick Decision Highlights

The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.

Need-based aid friendly

Significant share of students receive Pell Grants.

This school75%
National avg32%
Source: IPEDS 2024

Manageable graduate debt

$19k below avg

Strong completion rate

66%

Scholarships available

Aid signal

Affordability snapshot

Tuition

$36.7k

Net price

$24.9k

Pell

75%

above avg

Median debt

$19k

below avg

Earnings (10y)

$37.9k

“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.

Admissions

Acceptance rate

80%

SAT range

Institution does not report this

Institution does not report this

ACT range

Institution does not report this

Institution does not report this

Source: IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024 (provisional release)

Actions

Visit WebsiteView Admissions

Pin this school

Keep it saved while you compare options.

Report incorrect data

Location

Loading map...
UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school

Institution does not report this

Orange City, IA 51041

Academics

Studying online

CampusPin has no verified federal record of distance-education enrolment at this institution. That is a gap in the evidence, not a sign that online study is unavailable, so ask the college directly.

Fields of study

Northwestern College reported conferring credentials in 39 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.

Campus & Student Life

Area Safety Rating

Decision support

Similar schools

Worth a closer look if Northwestern College caught your interest.

Explore more

Frequently asked questions

About Northwestern College

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Northwestern College located?
Northwestern College is located in Orange City, IA, in the United States.
What type of institution is Northwestern College?
Northwestern College is a private university based in IA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern College?
The most recently reported acceptance rate at Northwestern College is approximately 80% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.
What is the tuition at Northwestern College?
Northwestern College's published in-state tuition is approximately $36,710 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
How many students attend Northwestern College?
Northwestern College reports total enrollment of approximately 1,705 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
How much does Northwestern College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Northwestern College is approximately $24,929 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
What is the graduation rate at Northwestern College?
Northwestern College reports a graduation rate of approximately 66% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
How much student debt do graduates of Northwestern College have?
Students who borrowed at Northwestern College left with a median of approximately $19,000 in federal loans, and about 75% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
How much do graduates of Northwestern College earn?
Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $37,871 for students who received federal financial aid at Northwestern College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
How should I verify final details about Northwestern College?
CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Northwestern College.
Does Northwestern College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Northwestern College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $58,331, above the $36,709 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Iowa, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.

Fields this college awarded credentials in

The 14 largest of 39 fields Northwestern College reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.

Fields Northwestern College reported conferring credentials in during 2024-25, with the number awarded and the highest credential level.
FieldAwardedLevel
Educational Administration and Supervision123Graduate
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods103Graduate (34 graduate · 69 bachelor's)
Special Education and Teaching75Graduate (74 graduate · 1 bachelor's)
Business Administration, Management and Operations61Bachelor's
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas47Graduate (37 graduate · 10 bachelor's)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions31Graduate
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing27Bachelor's
Biology, General26Bachelor's
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness25Bachelor's
Accounting and Related Services10Bachelor's
Psychology, General10Bachelor's
Criminal Justice and Corrections9Bachelor's
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions8Graduate
Computer Science6Bachelor's

Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Data sources & methodology

Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: May 19, 2025.

Facts on this profile of Northwestern College are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Suggested citation

CampusPin. (2024). Northwestern College, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/northwestern-college

About this information

CampusPin compiles college information from recent publicly available data, including federal and institutional sources. College information can change as institutions and public agencies release new data.

Represent Northwestern College?

Claim your CampusPin institution page to review and manage your profile, and help keep your institution's information current. Verified representatives can update profile details directly; figures published by federal agencies are updated through CampusPin's review process.

Create a free account →