Iowa vs. MCAD

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

 Iowa MCAD
Location Iowa City, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,015 821
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa MCAD
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $42,110
Room & Board $11,476 $7,290
Avg Net Price $19,587 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

 Iowa MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 668
Admitted 22,128 380
Acceptance Rate 86% 56.9%
Enrolled % 23.4% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 19/27
SAT Range 1130/1340 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Iowa MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Iowa MCAD
Graduation Rate 71% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $223 $266

Diversity

 Iowa MCAD
% Men 44% 31%
% Women 56% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 59%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 16%

Students

 Iowa MCAD
% In-State 54% 61%
% Out-of-State 45% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 821 students)

Iowa vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or MCAD?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 383.4% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.3% higher at MCAD than University of Iowa ($42,110.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than MCAD ($19,587 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 57.4% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($7,290 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than University of Iowa (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 161.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($26,025 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 68 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than MCAD (56.9%)

Iowa vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (71% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $18,300 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $41,500)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $4,134 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($21,616 vs. $25,750)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($223 vs. $266)
  • More MCAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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