Iowa vs. Macalester College

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

Iowa Macalester College
Location Iowa City, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,015 2,175
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $62,270
Room & Board $11,476 $14,000
Avg Net Price $19,587 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 89%

Admission

Iowa Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 8,434
Admitted 22,128 2,397
Acceptance Rate 86% 28.4%
Enrolled % 23.4% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/28 30/34
SAT Range 1130/1340 1340/1500
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Iowa Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa Macalester College
Graduation Rate 71% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $223 $234

Diversity

Iowa Macalester College
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 66%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 12% 14%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Iowa Macalester College
% In-State 54% 18%
% Out-of-State 45% 69%

Campus

Iowa Macalester College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Macalester College based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 2,175 students)

Iowa vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Macalester College?

  • Macalester College is 614.8% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103% higher at Macalester College than University of Iowa ($62,270.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Macalester College ($19,587 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 22% lower than costs at Macalester College ($11,476 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than University of Iowa (89% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 304.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($40,262 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 194 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have at the same average high school GPA (3.81) as students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

Iowa vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or Macalester College? 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 Macalester College and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than University of Iowa (87% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $5,700 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $54,100)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $1,054 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,670)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($223 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 70%)

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