Iowa Wesleyan College vs. OU

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

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
Location Mount Pleasant, IA Ottawa, KS
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 871 953
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist American Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwc.edu ottawa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
Tuition (In State) $33,550 $29,980
Tuition (Out of State) $33,550 $29,980
Room & Board $11,340 $11,934
Avg Net Price $20,074 $26,872
Avg Grant Aid $26,670 $23,303
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,975 3,331
Admitted 2,404 2,606
Acceptance Rate 80.8% 78.2%
Enrolled % 8% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.02 3.12
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 18/23
SAT Range 830/1010 860/1100
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 15, 2025

Academics

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (18%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
Graduation Rate 25% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,900 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,875
Median Loan Payment $258 $226

Diversity

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
% Men 56% 63%
% Women 44% 37%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 61%
% Black 9% 13%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 5%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 24% 14%

Students

Iowa Wesleyan College OU
% In-State 25% 29%
% Out-of-State 60% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ottawa University Ottawa is larger than than Iowa Wesleyan College based on total student enrollment (953 students vs. 871 students)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. OU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Wesleyan College or OU?

  • Iowa Wesleyan College is 11.9% more expensive to attend than OU for in-state tuition ($33,550.00 vs. $29,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.9% higher at Iowa Wesleyan College than Ottawa University Ottawa ($33,550.00 vs. $29,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa Wesleyan College than OU ($20,074 vs. $26,872)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa Wesleyan College are 5.2% lower than costs at Ottawa University Ottawa ($11,340 vs. $11,934)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ottawa University Ottawa than Iowa Wesleyan College (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa Wesleyan College students is 14.4% larger than aid received Ottawa University Ottawa ($26,670 vs. $23,303)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. OU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman OU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.12) than students at Iowa Wesleyan College (3.02)
  • Iowa Wesleyan College has a higher acceptance rate (80.8%) than OU (78.2%)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. OU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa Wesleyan College or OU? 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 OU and Iowa Wesleyan College.

  • The graduation rate at OU is higher than Iowa Wesleyan College (47% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Ottawa University Ottawa earn on average $9,500 more per year than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $36,900)
  • Ottawa University Ottawa students graduate with a $3,125 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates. ($21,875 vs. $25,000)
  • OU graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates. ($226 vs. $258)
  • More Iowa Wesleyan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 46%)

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