Is Northwestern College worth it?

The numbers behind the score

At Northwestern, a typical graduate carries about $23,249 in student debt and earns roughly $57,028 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $264 per month, or 6% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.

How earnings compare to a high school diploma

Graduates earn $22,825 more than the typical working high school graduate in Iowa ($34,203) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.

The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.

80% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.

Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works

Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark

Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Iowa ($34,203).

• Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

  Bachelor's degree · 35 working graduates counted

  $47,640

  $13,437 above the benchmark

• Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

  Bachelor's degree · 22 working graduates counted

  $51,829

  $17,626 above the benchmark

• Accounting and Related Services

  Bachelor's degree · 16 working graduates counted

  $59,192

  $24,989 above the benchmark

• Business Administration, Management and Operations

  Bachelor's degree · 44 working graduates counted

  $68,565

  $34,362 above the benchmark

• Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

  Bachelor's degree · 38 working graduates counted

  $71,322

  $37,119 above the benchmark

34 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard

An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).

Represent Northwestern College and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.

What this means for your family

Northwestern is a private nonprofit four year school in Orange City, IA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.

Common questions about Northwestern

Looking at private colleges options in Iowa? See the most affordable private colleges in Iowa →

The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →