Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Simpson College, Drake University, University of Detroit Mercy. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | SimpsonIndianola, IA | Drake UniversityDes Moines, IA | Detroit MercyDetroit, MI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 86.2% | 63.8% | 75.4% |
| SAT middle 50% | Not reportedSimpson College did not report an SAT score range for its most recent entering class. | 1110–1350 | 1030–1260 |
| Average net price | $21,93634.6% on Pell grants | $29,12721.7% on Pell grants | $15,23226.3% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $47,656Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $52,130Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $32,946Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.3% | 74.0% | 67.2% |
| First-year retention | 81.3% | 84.1% | 83.5% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 34.6% | 21.7% | 26.3% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $59,274 | $71,901 | $71,030 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 | $23,000 | $23,250 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 11:1 | 10:1 | 12:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,227 | 2,543 | 2,438 |
| Consensus percentile | 33Lower is better | 33Lower is better | 33Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 59 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 48 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 48 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Simpson | Drake University | Detroit Mercy |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #6 of 94Regional colleges (Midwest)Regional Colleges (Midwest) · 2026 | #183 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #183 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | #287 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #282 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #325 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #395 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #726 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | #328 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #154 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #43 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #988 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #251 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #313 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Listed | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Simpson College on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Drake University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing University of Detroit Mercy on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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