Cornell College vs. UNI

Should I go to Cornell College or University of Northern Iowa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cornell College or UNI 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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Cornell College vs. University of Northern Iowa comparison
Cornell College University of Northern Iowa College 3 College 4
Cornell College University of Northern Iowa
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Overview

Cornell College UNI
Location Mount Vernon, IA Cedar Falls, IA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,073 8,945
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #424 #414
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornellcollege.edu uni.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell College UNI
Tuition (In State) $48,514 $8,111
Tuition (Out of State) $48,514 $19,265
Room & Board $10,872 $9,343
Avg Net Price $25,686 $15,782
Avg Grant Aid $38,069 $6,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

Cornell College UNI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,057 4,594
Admitted 2,425 4,362
Acceptance Rate 79.3% 94.9%
Enrolled % 13.6% 32.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 20/26
SAT Range 1170/1380 1020/1330
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

Academics

Cornell College UNI
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

Cornell College UNI
Graduation Rate 70% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,400 $47,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,625
Median Loan Payment $279 $213

Diversity

Cornell College UNI
% Men 52% 36%
% Women 48% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 83%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Cornell College UNI
% In-State 30% 91%
% Out-of-State 67% 8%

Campus

Cornell College UNI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Iowa is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 1,073 students)

Cornell College vs. UNI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell College or UNI?

  • Cornell College is 498.1% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($48,514.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.8% higher at Cornell College than University of Northern Iowa ($48,514.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than Cornell College ($15,782 vs. $25,686)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 16.4% lower than costs at Cornell College ($9,343 vs. $10,872)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College than University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 493.7% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($38,069 vs. $6,412)

Cornell College vs. UNI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell College (1177) is 127 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming Cornell College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Cornell College (3.53)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Cornell College (79.3%)

Cornell College vs. UNI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell College or UNI? 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 UNI and Cornell College.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell College is higher than University of Northern Iowa (70% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $2,300 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $45,400)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $6,375 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($20,625 vs. $27,000)
  • UNI graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
  • More Cornell College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 72%)

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