Northwestern College

Northwestern is a Christian college in the Reformed tradition, founded in 1882 and affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. We are committed to providing a Christian liberal arts education in the context of community among learners on campus and online. We offer bachelor's degrees in traditional and professional programs, as well as graduate degrees and certificate programs.

Our mission is to be a Christian academic community engaging students in courageous and faithful learning and living that empowers them to follow Christ and pursue God’s redeeming work in the world. Our vision is to be the leading Christian liberal arts college focused on student success and Christ-centered work for the common good.

Northwestern College is a Christian academic community engaging students in courageous and faithful learning and living that empowers them to follow Christ and pursue God’s redeeming work in the world.

Northwestern aims to be the leading Christian liberal arts college focused on student success and Christ-centered work for the common good.

As members of a Christian academic community rooted in the wisdom of the Bible, we at Northwestern College view learning as worship, using our minds to better understand, serve and love God's world. We are committed to participating in God's redemptive work, and we seek to respond to God's call to share the gospel, care for creation and serve Christ in everyone.

Guided by the biblical narrative of creation, fall, redemption and restoration, Northwestern College strives to pursue God’s redeeming work in the world by courageously and faithfully engaging the fullness of our similarities and differences in our learning and living together.

Academic excellence is the No. 1 reason Northwestern is a top-ranked college in the Midwest. But challenge isn’t limited to your classes. Northwestern’s Christian liberal arts education will push you to ask big questions. Consider new ideas. Trust God will lead you to truth.

Professors will come alongside you with guidance and support. Expert scholars and caring mentors, they share your Christian faith and are committed to your intellectual and spiritual growth. Teaching is their passion, and they want to invest in you.

At Northwestern, we won’t tell you what to think as a Christian in today’s world—we’ll teach you how.

Choosing the right college is about fit. Northwestern College is a great fit for students who learn best in small classes with professors who are great teachers and inspiring mentors. We’re perfect for students whose faith is important to them and who grow spiritually by being around other Christians. We’re the right place for students who want to be part of a tight-knit campus community while also experiencing the world.

Student financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and student employment. For some students, this means they pay less to attend Northwestern than they would at a state university. In fact, Northwestern students who finance college with loans have approximately the same amount of debt as similar graduates from Iowa’s state universities.

That’s usually the first thing students say when they’re asked what they love most about Northwestern College. They say: I belong here. People accept me the way I am. Northwestern is home.

Our students say living with their friends in community leads not only to some of the best college memories, but also to some of their best learning about how to be a thinking Christian in today’s world. Students grow and change together. They mature intellectually, socially and emotionally—and realize their learning about life is just beginning.