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ISU Loyola IU IIT Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska Northern Illinois UNI Illinois Wisconsin ISU| University of Illinois at Chicago | University of Iowa | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UIC | Iowa | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Iowa City, IA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,522 | 30,042 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #198 | #225 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uic.edu | uiowa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UIC | Iowa | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,178 | $9,016 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,200 | $30,979 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,600 | $12,616 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,499 | $20,121 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,421 | $9,512 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 74% |
Admission |
UIC | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,420 | 25,682 | ||
| Admitted | 19,955 | 21,746 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78.5% | 84.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.3% | 23.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/32 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1120/1340 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UIC | Iowa | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UIC | Iowa | ||
| Graduation Rate | 54% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,900 | $59,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,750 | $21,616 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $223 |
Diversity |
UIC | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 14% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 67% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 28% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 12% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
UIC | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 89% | 52% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 4% | 46% | ||
Campus |
UIC | 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 Illinois at Chicago is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (33,522 students vs. 30,042 students)
UIC vs. Iowa Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UIC or Iowa?
- University of Illinois at Chicago is 24% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($11,178.00 vs. $9,016.00)
- Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at Iowa than University of Illinois at Chicago ($30,979.00 vs. $26,200.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than Iowa ($11,499 vs. $20,121)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 15.7% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,616 vs. $14,600)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of Illinois at Chicago (74% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 62.1% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($15,421 vs. $9,512)
UIC vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UIC or Iowa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Iowa or UIC .
- The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 72 points higher than at UIC (1092)
- Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
- Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at UIC (3.41)
- Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than UIC (78.5%)
UIC vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UIC 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 UIC.
- The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (71% vs. 54%)
- Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $2,100 more per year than Iowa graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $59,800)
- University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $2,866 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($18,750 vs. $21,616)
- UIC graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($193 vs. $223)
- More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 68%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/