Iowa vs. Simpson College

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

Iowa Simpson College
Location Iowa City, IA Indianola, IA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,015 1,151
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #412
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $44,202
Room & Board $11,476 $9,654
Avg Net Price $19,587 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

Iowa Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 1,569
Admitted 22,128 1,398
Acceptance Rate 86% 89.1%
Enrolled % 23.4% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 20/27
SAT Range 1130/1340 890/1280
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Iowa Simpson 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%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa Simpson College
Graduation Rate 71% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $279

Diversity

Iowa Simpson College
% Men 44% 48%
% Women 56% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 88%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 12% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Iowa Simpson College
% In-State 54% 67%
% Out-of-State 45% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 1,151 students)

Iowa vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Simpson College?

  • Simpson College is 407.4% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.1% higher at Simpson College than University of Iowa ($44,202.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Simpson College ($19,587 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 18.9% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($9,654 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than University of Iowa (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 260.5% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($35,898 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 60 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Iowa (86%)

Iowa vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or Simpson 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 Simpson College and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Simpson College (71% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $11,800 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $48,000)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $5,384 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($21,616 vs. $27,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($223 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 70%)

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