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ISU Florida State USF Main Campus FIU FAU Florida IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI FGCU| University of Central Florida | University of Iowa | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCF | Iowa | ||
| Location | Orlando, FL | Iowa City, IA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 68,346 | 30,015 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #379 | #224 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucf.edu | uiowa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCF | Iowa | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,478 | $8,711 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $19,810 | $30,674 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,498 | $11,476 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,108 | $19,587 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,986 | $9,959 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 82% |
Admission |
UCF | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 54,977 | 25,729 | ||
| Admitted | 22,560 | 22,128 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 41% | 86% | ||
| Enrolled % | 33.3% | 23.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.64 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/29 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1200/1360 | 1130/1340 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Required to be considered for admission | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
Academics |
UCF | Iowa | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 29:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCF | Iowa | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,900 | $59,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 59% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,270 | $21,616 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $188 | $223 |
Diversity |
UCF | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 53% | 67% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 24% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 1% | 12% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 4% |
Students |
UCF | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 45% | ||
Campus |
UCF | 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
- University of Central Florida is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (68,346 students vs. 30,015 students)
UCF vs. Iowa Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCF or Iowa?
- University of Iowa is 94.5% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $4,478.00)
- Out of state tuition is 54.8% higher at Iowa than University of Central Florida ($30,674.00 vs. $19,810.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than Iowa ($13,108 vs. $19,587)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 0.2% lower than costs at University of Central Florida ($11,476 vs. $11,498)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than University of Iowa (93% vs. 82%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Florida students is 0.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($9,986 vs. $9,959)
UCF vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCF or Iowa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Iowa or UCF .
- The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 15 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
- Incoming UCF students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Iowa (26)
- Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at UCF (3.64)
- Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than UCF (41%)
UCF vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCF 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 UCF.
- The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Central Florida (71% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $10,900 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $48,900)
- University of Central Florida students graduate with a $3,346 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($18,270 vs. $21,616)
- UCF graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($188 vs. $223)
- More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 59%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/