Iowa Wesleyan College vs. UIU

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

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
Location Mount Pleasant, IA Fayette, IA
Setting Remote Town Remote Rural
Enrollment 871 3,072
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #737
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwc.edu uiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
Tuition (In State) $33,550 $32,589
Tuition (Out of State) $33,550 $32,589
Room & Board $11,340 $9,644
Avg Net Price $20,074 $24,563
Avg Grant Aid $26,670 $25,788
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,975 1,405
Admitted 2,404 762
Acceptance Rate 80.8% 54.2%
Enrolled % 8% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.02 3.34
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22 18/24
SAT Range 830/1010 890/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
Graduation Rate 25% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,900 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $248

Diversity

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
% Men 56% 41%
% Women 44% 59%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 66%
% Black 9% 19%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 24% 3%

Students

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
% In-State 25% 49%
% Out-of-State 60% 48%

Campus

Iowa Wesleyan College UIU
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

  • Upper Iowa University is larger than than Iowa Wesleyan College based on total student enrollment (3,072 students vs. 871 students)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. UIU Cost Comparison

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

  • Iowa Wesleyan College is 2.9% more expensive to attend than UIU for in-state tuition ($33,550.00 vs. $32,589.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at Iowa Wesleyan College than Upper Iowa University ($33,550.00 vs. $32,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa Wesleyan College than UIU ($20,074 vs. $24,563)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Upper Iowa University are 17.6% lower than costs at Iowa Wesleyan College ($9,644 vs. $11,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University than Iowa Wesleyan College (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa Wesleyan College students is 3.4% larger than aid received Upper Iowa University ($26,670 vs. $25,788)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. UIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa Wesleyan College (949) is 19 points higher than at UIU (930)
  • Incoming Iowa Wesleyan College students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at UIU (20)
  • Accepted freshman UIU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Iowa Wesleyan College (3.02)
  • Iowa Wesleyan College has a higher acceptance rate (80.8%) than UIU (54.2%)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. UIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UIU is higher than Iowa Wesleyan College (45% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Upper Iowa University earn on average $5,200 more per year than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $36,900)
  • Upper Iowa University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • UIU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Iowa Wesleyan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 50%)

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