Iowa vs. BLC

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

 Iowa BLC
Location Iowa City, IA Mankato, MN
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 30,042 902
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #225
Religious Affiliation - Other (none of the above) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu blc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa BLC
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $29,280
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $29,280
Room & Board $12,616 $8,270
Avg Net Price $20,121 $19,456
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $20,192
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 100%

Admission

 Iowa BLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 881
Admitted 21,746 449
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 51%
Enrolled % 23.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 21/26
SAT Range 1130/1320 1000/1260
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 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 Iowa BLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 Iowa BLC
Graduation Rate 71% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $223 $240

Diversity

 Iowa BLC
% Men 12% 2%
% Women 14% 3%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 88%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Iowa BLC
% In-State 52% 54%
% Out-of-State 46% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 902 students)

Iowa vs. BLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or BLC?

  • Bethany Lutheran College is 224.8% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($29,280.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.8% higher at Iowa than Bethany Lutheran College ($30,979.00 vs. $29,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Iowa ($19,456 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 52.6% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($8,270 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than University of Iowa (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 112.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($20,192 vs. $9,512)

Iowa vs. BLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 90 points higher than at BLC (1074)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BLC (23)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at BLC (3.51)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than BLC (51%)

Iowa vs. BLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or BLC? 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 BLC and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (71% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $22,500 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $37,300)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $1,634 lower median federal student loan debt than BLC graduates. ($21,616 vs. $23,250)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than BLC graduates. ($223 vs. $240)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 70%)

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