Northwestern College Acceptance Rate
Orange City, Iowa · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 1,155
- Admitted
- 1,005
- Yield
- 28.2%
- Test policy
- Test-blind
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Northwestern College's acceptance rate has risen from 77.8% in 2014–15 to 87% in 2023–24. Applications fell from 1,254 to 1,155 (-8%) over that period.
Its 87% rate makes Northwestern College more selective than about 27% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 26 tracked Iowa schools, it is more selective than about 27%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (89.1% for women vs 85.2% for men, a 3.9-point gap). Northwestern College has been test-blind (scores not considered) since 2022–23. Of admitted students, 28.2% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 1,254 | 976 | 77.8% | 315 |
| 2015–16 | 1,234 | 890 | 72.1% | 260 |
| 2016–17 | 2,199 | 1,441 | 65.5% | 282 |
| 2017–18 | 1,959 | 1,334 | 68.1% | 281 |
| 2018–19 | 1,316 | 940 | 71.4% | 271 |
| 2019–20 | 1,332 | 926 | 69.5% | 293 |
| 2020–21 | 1,136 | 838 | 73.8% | 273 |
| 2021–22 | 1,172 | 973 | 83% | 268 |
| 2022–23 | 1,105 | 965 | 87.3% | 288 |
| 2023–24 | 1,155 | 1,005 | 87% | 283 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 534 | 476 | 89.1% |
| Men | 621 | 529 | 85.2% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-blind (not considered).
How Northwestern College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Northwestern College's acceptance rate?
Northwestern College's acceptance rate is 87% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (1,005 admitted of 1,155 applicants).
Is Northwestern College test optional?
Northwestern College is test-blind: SAT/ACT scores are not considered in admission.
How many people apply to Northwestern College?
Northwestern College received 1,155 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 1,005.
Is Northwestern College getting harder to get into?
Northwestern College has become easier to get into: its acceptance rate went from 77.8% in 2014–15 to 87% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: https://www.nwciowa.edu/.