Butler vs. Iowa

Should I go to Butler University or University of Iowa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Butler or Iowa is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Butler University vs. University of Iowa comparison
Butler University University of Iowa College 3 College 4
Butler University University of Iowa
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Overview

 Butler Iowa
Location Indianapolis, IN Iowa City, IA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 5,763 30,042
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #201 #225
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website butler.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Butler Iowa
Tuition (In State) $44,990 $9,016
Tuition (Out of State) $44,990 $30,979
Room & Board $15,870 $12,616
Avg Net Price $40,140 $20,121
Avg Grant Aid $24,662 $9,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 74%

Admission

 Butler Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,431 25,682
Admitted 8,098 21,746
Acceptance Rate 85.9% 84.7%
Enrolled % 14.2% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 22/28
SAT Range 1180/1360 1130/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Butler Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 Butler Iowa
Graduation Rate 72% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,400 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $279 $223

Diversity

 Butler Iowa
% Men 8% 12%
% Women 14% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 67%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 12%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Butler Iowa
% In-State 51% 52%
% Out-of-State 48% 46%

Campus

 Butler Iowa
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Butler based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 5,763 students)

Butler vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butler or Iowa?

  • Butler University is 399% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($44,990.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.2% higher at Butler than University of Iowa ($44,990.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Butler ($20,121 vs. $40,140)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 25.8% lower than costs at Butler University ($12,616 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Butler University than University of Iowa (97% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Butler University students is 159.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($24,662 vs. $9,512)

Butler vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butler or Iowa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Iowa or Butler .

  • The average SAT score at Butler University (1209) is 45 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Butler students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Iowa (3.81)
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (85.9%) than Iowa (84.7%)

Butler vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Butler or Iowa? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Iowa and Butler.

  • The graduation rate at Butler is higher than University of Iowa (72% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Butler University earn on average $8,600 more per year than Iowa graduates after ten years. ($68,400 vs. $59,800)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $5,384 lower median federal student loan debt than Butler graduates. ($21,616 vs. $27,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Butler graduates. ($223 vs. $279)
  • More Butler graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/