Regional college
#5 Best colleges in IowaSimpson College
Indianola, IA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $21,936 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#84 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#116 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#150 of 1,132
- Best small colleges in America#127 of 906
- Best colleges for marketing in America#120 of 834
- Best colleges for business in America#244 of 1,563
Show 13 more
- Best colleges for education in America#209 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#202 of 1,238
- Best colleges for psychology in America#267 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#352 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#253 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#270 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#308 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#253 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#266 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#265 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#270 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#247 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#264 of 1,116
In Iowa
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Iowa#1 of 19
- Best colleges for engineering in Iowa#1 of 13
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Iowa#2 of 25
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Iowa#2 of 24
- Best colleges for accounting in Iowa#2 of 23
- Best colleges for business in Iowa#3 of 27
Show 17 more
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Iowa#3 of 26
- Best colleges for education in Iowa#3 of 26
- Best colleges for English in Iowa#3 of 26
- Best colleges for history in Iowa#3 of 25
- Best colleges for mathematics in Iowa#3 of 25
- Best colleges for music in Iowa#3 of 25
- Best colleges for marketing in Iowa#2 of 16
- Best colleges for art and design in Iowa#3 of 24
- Best colleges for chemistry in Iowa#3 of 23
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Iowa#3 of 21
- Best colleges for psychology in Iowa#4 of 27
- Best colleges for computer science in Iowa#3 of 19
- Best colleges in Iowa#5 of 30
- Best test-optional colleges in Iowa#5 of 29
- Best small colleges in Iowa#4 of 23
- Best colleges for economics in Iowa#3 of 17
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Iowa#2 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.63%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.81%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,440 · ACT 32
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,667
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $61,227 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,140 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 50% · Women 50% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 23% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 28% |
| Total students | 1,163 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $21,936 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $61,227 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 63% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 72% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 76% |
| First-year retention | 81% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,274 |
| Admission rate | 86% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,109 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 35% |
| Average SAT | 1440 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | — |
| SAT math | — |
| ACT composite | 31–33 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computing and information science | |
| Computer science | |
| Accounting | |
| Business administration | |
| Mathematics | |
| Political science | |
| Public relations | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Psychology | |
| Secondary education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Liberal arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Applied mathematics, Biochemistry, Biology, Broadcasting, Chemistry, Design, Economics, Engineering Physics, English, Fine arts, General studies, German, Health administration, Health sciences, History, Human services, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, International relations, Journalism, Management information systems, Management science, Marketing, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Religious studies, Romance languages, Security science, Sociology, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Education | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 6% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $10,500 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · American Rivers Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 15%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 52%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $72,957IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)About 13 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)About 121 miles away |
| Town population | 16,044Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | OmahaAbout 129 miles away · about 3 hours 5 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 22°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Indianola 2 W, IA, about 4 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Simpson College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 19% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Simpson College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $21,936 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Simpson College?
- Simpson College admitted 86% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Simpson College’s graduates do?
- 63% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $59,274; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 154350
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (diverse fields)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): United Methodist
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