Northwestern College vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Northwestern College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, stand apart in their offerings and student experiences. Northwestern College, a private Christian liberal arts college in Orange City, Iowa, fosters a close-knit community with a focus on undergraduate education. In contrast, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a world-renowned private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is known for its rigorous academics, groundbreaking research, and strong emphasis on science and technology. While both institutions boast impressive faculty and a commitment to academic excellence, their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates paint a picture of two distinct educational journeys. Dive into the comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology logo

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Northwestern College logo

Northwestern College

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Orange City, Iowa
Campus setting City: Midsize Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 99.0% 83.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.1% 83.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A 940 - 1240
ACT range N/A 20 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 8.0%
Students submitting ACT score 82.0%
Total number of applicants 33,240 1,172
Total number of admissions given out 1,365 973
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,177 268
Yield rate 86.2% 27.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $58,920 $47,650
Average net price $30,958 $24,848
Tuition $55,510 $33,350
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,550

Meal plan: $6,550
$10,000
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $32,562
100.0%
Average amount $21,873
Students receiving federal student loan 6.0%
Average amount $5,112
69.0%
Average amount $5,257
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $17,891
21.0%
Average amount $10,813

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,638
Men 51.9% Women 48.1%
1,053
Men 48.7% Women 51.3%
Graduate students 7,296
Men 62.0% Women 38.0%
460
Men 24.3% Women 75.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 29.2% 2.2%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 6,280 995
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Texas New York Florida New Jersey N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Architecture
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 3:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.2% 70.8%
Dropout rate 3.0% 6.5%
Transferred out N/A 22.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $144,716
  • Year 2: $150,045
  • Year 3: $183,153
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $170,089
  • Year 2: $165,236
  • Year 3: $182,183
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,191
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $163,496
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,796
  • Year 2: $117,572
  • Year 3: $155,540
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $133,685
  • Year 2: $137,214
  • Year 3: $155,079
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,229
  • Year 2: $121,226
  • Year 3: $139,548
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $141,603
  • Year 2: $126,504
  • Year 3: $132,987
Mechanical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $112,885
  • Year 3: $124,425
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,266
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $112,404
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,955
  • Year 2: $104,749
  • Year 3: $109,672
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,719
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,017
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,993
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,925
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,080
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,227
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,185
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: N/A

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