Northwestern ranked safest college campus in Iowa

Northwestern College is ranked as the safest college in Iowa by www.niche.com.

The ranking, which includes both public and private four-year colleges and universities across the state, is based on the cumulative evaluation of key factors, including student reviews, campus crime rate and local crime rate using data from the U.S. Department of Education.

“There are many things to consider when choosing a college, and campus safety is one factor that should be evaluated,” says Mark Bloemendaal, Northwestern’s vice president for enrollment and marketing. “We are fortunate to partner with the local community in making safety a priority on campus so students can focus on enjoying all that college life has to offer.”

According to the ranking, 96 percent of Northwestern students say they feel extremely safe on campus. Niche gives Northwestern an A grade in safety.

The website also includes a number of student reviews. “Students feel safe here and are well informed on safety procedures,” one reviewer said. Another student wrote, “The Northwestern campus is extremely safe! The community is very close and trusting, and there are very minimal safety concerns.”

“A safe and caring community perpetuates itself, and we are grateful that students share in the responsibility to keep the campus a safe place by holding each other accountable,” says Bloemendaal.

Niche analyzes dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews to produce comprehensive rankings, report cards and profiles to help people choose the right schools, colleges, employers and communities for them.