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Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa 50125

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Tight-knitCollege town

Known for business — close-knit campus

Simpson College is a private institution in Indianola with particular strength in business and health sciences. With an average SAT of 1410, the school attracts a broad applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.1K undergraduates with a 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

66% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $59,274 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $22,231.

Established
1860
Mascot
Thunder the Elephant
Type
Private college
Conference
American Rivers Conference
Division
Division III

Plan Your Visit

89%Acceptance
1410SAT Avg
1,130Students
11:1Student:Faculty
66%Grad Rate
$59,274Earnings 10yr
$22,231Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate88.9%

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 24
3133

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$46,212
Room & Board$10,088
Books & Supplies$1,134
Total Cost of Attendance$58,937
Average Net Price$22,231
Median Debt at Graduation$26,000
Monthly Payment (10yr)$276

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$15,172
$30–48K$17,775
$48–75K$19,007
$75–110K$24,744
$110K+$26,854

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

30.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

4.0%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$20,262

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

8

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

2

Burglary

0

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

1

Motor Vehicle Theft

1

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

2

Drug Arrests

2

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (56)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

76%

Mixed

Student Body

Undergrads
1,130
Gender Split
53% / 47%
Women / Men
First Generation
23%
Pell Grant Recipients
33%

Race & Ethnicity

White 76%
Black 4%
Hispanic 11%
Asian 2%
Two+ 4%
Int'l 2%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate65.7%
Freshman Retention76.0%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$49,946
10 Years$59,274

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Storm

College world

History & Fun Facts

  • •History Indianola Male and Female Seminary opened on September 24, 1860, and the name was changed to the Des Moines Conference Seminary in September 1865.
  • •In June 1885, "Centenary" was dropped from the name, becoming simply Simpson College.
  • •Berry (1878–1880) Alexander Burns (1868–1878) Samuel Milton Vernon (1866–1868) ^ Walt, Joseph W.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

89Low

Estimated from IA state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 30"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Kansas Citypop. 500K
165 mi(286 min)
Minneapolispop. 430K
250 mi(433 min)
St. Louispop. 290K
260 mi(451 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

MCI Kansas City155 mi
MSP Minneapolis-St Paul244 mi
STL St Louis247 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA1157 mi · ~33h 25m drive
New York, NY1018 mi · ~29h 25m drive
Hartford, CT1078 mi · ~31h 9m drive
Providence, RI1142 mi · ~32h 59m drive
Albany, NY1018 mi · ~29h 25m drive
Syracuse, NY897 mi · ~25h 55m drive
Rochester, NY824 mi · ~23h 48m drive
Buffalo, NY759 mi · ~21h 56m drive
Philadelphia, PA967 mi · ~27h 56m drive
Pittsburgh, PA711 mi · ~20h 32m drive
Harrisburg, PA874 mi · ~25h 15m drive
Newark, NJ1009 mi · ~29h 9m drive
Washington, DC888 mi · ~25h 39m drive
Baltimore, MD903 mi · ~26h 5m drive
Atlanta, GA727 mi · ~21h drive
Charlotte, NC808 mi · ~23h 21m drive
Raleigh, NC892 mi · ~25h 46m drive
Miami, FL1321 mi · ~38h 10m drive
Orlando, FL1121 mi · ~32h 23m drive
Tampa, FL1119 mi · ~32h 20m drive
Nashville, TN512 mi · ~14h 47m drive
New Orleans, LA812 mi · ~23h 27m drive
Richmond, VA899 mi · ~25h 58m drive
Chicago, IL308 mi · ~8h 54m drive
Detroit, MI545 mi · ~15h 45m drive
Minneapolis, MN250 mi · ~7h 13m drive
St. Louis, MO260 mi · ~7h 31m drive
Kansas City, MO165 mi · ~4h 46m drive
Indianapolis, IN404 mi · ~11h 40m drive
Columbus, OH562 mi · ~16h 14m drive
Cleveland, OH614 mi · ~17h 44m drive
Milwaukee, WI312 mi · ~9h 1m drive
Dallas, TX619 mi · ~17h 53m drive
Houston, TX808 mi · ~23h 21m drive
Austin, TX802 mi · ~23h 10m drive
San Antonio, TX870 mi · ~25h 8m drive
Los Angeles, CA1435 mi · ~41h 27m drive
San Francisco, CA1549 mi · ~44h 45m drive
San Diego, CA1426 mi · ~41h 12m drive
Seattle, WA1473 mi · ~42h 33m drive
Portland, OR1480 mi · ~42h 45m drive
Denver, CO610 mi · ~17h 37m drive
Phoenix, AZ1150 mi · ~33h 13m drive
Salt Lake City, UT954 mi · ~27h 34m drive
Honolulu, HI3944 mi · ~113h 56m drive
Mid-Atlantic / Central (moderate winters, warm summers)

Visit Planning

Deadline Calendar

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Decision Notifications

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