Principia College vs. Iowa

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

Principia College Iowa
Location Elsah, Illinois Iowa City, IA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 338 30,042
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website principiacollege.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Principia College Iowa
Tuition (In State) $32,250 $9,016
Tuition (Out of State) $32,250 $30,979
Room & Board $13,370 $12,616
Avg Net Price $14,904 $20,121
Avg Grant Aid $32,096 $9,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 74%

Admission

Principia College Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 268 25,682
Admitted 119 21,746
Acceptance Rate 44.4% 84.7%
Enrolled % 70.6% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/23 22/28
SAT Range 1040/1250 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

Principia College Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Principia College Iowa
Graduation Rate - 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments - 70%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $21,616
Median Loan Payment N/A $223

Diversity

Principia College Iowa
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 0% 14%
Racial Diversity - Medium
HBCU No No
% White 0% 67%
% Black 0% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Principia College Iowa
% In-State 3% 52%
% Out-of-State 41% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Principia College based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 338 students)

Principia College vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Principia College or Iowa?

  • Principia College is 257.7% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($32,250.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Principia College than University of Iowa ($32,250.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Principia College than Iowa ($14,904 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 6% lower than costs at Principia College ($12,616 vs. $13,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Principia College than University of Iowa (90% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Principia College students is 237.4% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($32,096 vs. $9,512)

Principia College vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Principia College (3.34)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Principia College (44.4%)

Principia College vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Principia College 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 Principia College.

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