IU vs. Iowa

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

 IU Iowa
Location Bloomington, IN Iowa City, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 47,527 30,042
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #209 #225
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU Iowa
Tuition (In State) $10,312 $9,016
Tuition (Out of State) $39,004 $30,979
Room & Board $13,380 $12,616
Avg Net Price $16,282 $20,121
Avg Grant Aid $9,857 $9,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 74%

Admission

 IU Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,279 25,682
Admitted 43,624 21,746
Acceptance Rate 80.4% 84.7%
Enrolled % 21.9% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 22/28
SAT Range 1170/1400 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

 IU Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 IU Iowa
Graduation Rate 72% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $232 $223

Diversity

 IU Iowa
% Men 12% 12%
% Women 11% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 67%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 IU Iowa
% In-State 54% 52%
% Out-of-State 41% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 30,042 students)

IU vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or Iowa?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 14.4% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($10,312.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.9% higher at IU than University of Iowa ($39,004.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Iowa ($16,282 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 6.1% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($12,616 vs. $13,380)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington as University of Iowa (74% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University Bloomington students is 3.6% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($9,857 vs. $9,512)

IU vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 35 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming IU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at IU (3.74)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than IU (80.4%)

IU vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU 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 IU.

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than University of Iowa (72% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $3,600 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $56,200)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $884 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,500)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($223 vs. $232)
  • More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 70%)

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