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 5,525 30,015
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #210 #224
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website butler.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Butler Iowa
Tuition (In State) $43,470 $8,711
Tuition (Out of State) $43,470 $30,674
Room & Board $15,260 $11,476
Avg Net Price $37,399 $19,587
Avg Grant Aid $25,728 $9,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 82%

Admission

Butler Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,386 25,729
Admitted 10,985 22,128
Acceptance Rate 82.1% 86%
Enrolled % 10.9% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 22/28
SAT Range 1110/1320 1130/1340
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, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Butler Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
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 39% 44%
% Women 61% 56%
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 45% 54%
% Out-of-State 53% 45%

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 (30,015 students vs. 5,525 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 ($43,470.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.7% higher at Butler than University of Iowa ($43,470.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Butler ($19,587 vs. $37,399)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 33% lower than costs at Butler University ($11,476 vs. $15,260)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Butler University than University of Iowa (98% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Butler University students is 158.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($25,728 vs. $9,959)

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)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Butler (82.1%)

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/