IWU vs. Iowa

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

 IWU Iowa
Location Bloomington, IL Iowa City, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,576 30,042
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #158 #225
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IWU Iowa
Tuition (In State) $55,500 $9,016
Tuition (Out of State) $55,500 $30,979
Room & Board $12,930 $12,616
Avg Net Price $31,310 $20,121
Avg Grant Aid $36,999 $9,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

 IWU Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,128 25,682
Admitted 2,768 21,746
Acceptance Rate 45.2% 84.7%
Enrolled % 15.9% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 22/28
SAT Range 1140/1330 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 May 1, 2026

Academics

 IWU Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 IWU Iowa
Graduation Rate 82% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $279 $223

Diversity

 IWU Iowa
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 0% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 67%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 12%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 IWU Iowa
% In-State 77% 52%
% Out-of-State 14% 46%

Campus

 IWU Iowa
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 Iowa is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 1,576 students)

IWU vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Iowa?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 515.6% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($55,500.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.2% higher at IWU than University of Iowa ($55,500.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than IWU ($20,121 vs. $31,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 2.5% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($12,616 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than University of Iowa (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 289% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($36,999 vs. $9,512)

IWU vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 85 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Iowa (3.81)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than IWU (45.2%)

IWU vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU 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 IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than University of Iowa (82% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $700 more per year than Iowa graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $59,800)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $5,384 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($21,616 vs. $27,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($223 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)

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