Northwestern College tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Northwestern College is $49,783 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $25,907 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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What your family pays
$25,907 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $49,783. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$36,710
Housing & meals$10,700
Books & supplies$1,100
Personal & travel$3,200
Living-at-home adjustment−$1,927
Total cost of attendance$49,783

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$16,791
Loan default rate1.8%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out34%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants25%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$23,876Sticker price minus average net price

College Scorecard

Northwestern College net price compared with other Iowa colleges

Northwestern College has the 26th-lowest average net price of 30 Iowa colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
22Briar Cliff University$23,90748%$54,475
23Clarke University$24,47956%$55,396
24Saint Ambrose University$24,69161%$59,531
25Dordt University$25,80770%$52,559
26Northwestern College$25,90766%$49,802
27Mercy College of Health Sciences$26,92466%$62,234
28Drake University$29,12774%$71,901
29Morningside University$31,32050%$55,494
30Wartburg College$32,90864%$56,201

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Iowa colleges →

Why Northwestern College costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Northwestern College80%$25,90766%$49,802This school
Cornell College80%$23,63462%$53,460
Central College86%$23,37766%$54,317
Buena Vista University78%$18,84662%$49,156
Wartburg College76%$32,90864%$56,201

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Northwestern College would cost you $2,273 more per year than Cornell College, on average.

  • Lower sticker price at Northwestern College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$15,950).
  • Cornell College gives aided families $18,739 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Iowa residentNorthwestern CollegeCornell CollegeDifference
Tuition & fees$36,710$52,660−$15,950
Books & supplies$1,100$1,200−$100
Housing & meals$10,700$11,358−$658
Personal & travel$3,200$3,160+$40
Living-at-home adjustment−$1,927−$2,129+$202
Sticker price$49,783$66,249−$16,466
Average grants−$23,876−$42,615+$18,739
You pay$25,907$23,634+$2,273

“+” means Northwestern College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Northwestern College cost questions

How much is tuition at Northwestern College?

Tuition and fees are $36,710 a year.

What is the total cost of attending Northwestern College?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $49,783 a year.

What do families actually pay at Northwestern College?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $25,907 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $27,059; $48–75k pay $20,572; $110k+ pay $29,539.

How much debt do Northwestern College graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $16,791, and 1.8% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Northwestern College the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Northwestern College overview