University of Alaska Fairbanks vs. UW

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

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
Location Fairbanks, AK Laramie, WY
Setting Small Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 6,607 11,100
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1024 #331
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uaf.edu uwyo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
Tuition (In State) $6,240 $4,800
Tuition (Out of State) $19,824 $19,950
Room & Board $10,650 $11,610
Avg Net Price $9,450 $12,819
Avg Grant Aid $8,704 $8,942
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 5,797
Admitted - 5,564
Acceptance Rate Open 96%
Enrolled % Open 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/27 21/28
SAT Range 1110/1360 1040/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2025 Aug 10, 2025

Academics

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
Graduation Rate 31% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,975 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $175 $191

Diversity

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
% Men 38% 46%
% Women 62% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 76%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 14% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 29% 7%

Students

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
% In-State 78% 56%
% Out-of-State 20% 40%

Campus

University of Alaska Fairbanks UW
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 Wyoming is larger than than University of Alaska Fairbanks based on total student enrollment (11,100 students vs. 6,607 students)

University of Alaska Fairbanks vs. UW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Alaska Fairbanks or UW?

  • University of Alaska Fairbanks is 30% more expensive to attend than UW for in-state tuition ($6,240.00 vs. $4,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at UW than University of Alaska Fairbanks ($19,950.00 vs. $19,824.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Alaska Fairbanks than UW ($9,450 vs. $12,819)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Alaska Fairbanks are 9% lower than costs at University of Wyoming ($10,650 vs. $11,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Alaska Fairbanks than University of Wyoming (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wyoming students is 2.7% larger than aid received University of Alaska Fairbanks ($8,942 vs. $8,704)

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wyoming (1122) is 64 points higher than at University of Alaska Fairbanks (1058)
  • Incoming UW students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at University of Alaska Fairbanks (22)
  • Accepted freshman UW students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at University of Alaska Fairbanks (3.4)

University of Alaska Fairbanks vs. UW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Alaska Fairbanks or UW? 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 UW and University of Alaska Fairbanks.

  • The graduation rate at UW is higher than University of Alaska Fairbanks (53% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from University of Wyoming earn on average $9,200 more per year than University of Alaska Fairbanks graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $42,200)
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks students graduate with a $1,525 lower median federal student loan debt than UW graduates. ($16,975 vs. $18,500)
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than UW graduates. ($175 vs. $191)
  • More UW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Alaska Fairbanks students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 53%)

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