Iowa vs. St Olaf

Should I go to University of Iowa or St Olaf College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or St Olaf 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

ISU IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska Carleton College UNI Wisconsin Illinois Miami Minnesota Michigan State
University of Iowa vs. St Olaf College comparison
University of Iowa St Olaf College College 3 College 4
University of Iowa St Olaf College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Iowa St Olaf
Location Iowa City, IA Northfield, MN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,015 3,046
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #156
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $54,650
Room & Board $11,476 $12,450
Avg Net Price $19,587 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 99%

Admission

Iowa St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 5,524
Admitted 22,128 3,116
Acceptance Rate 86% 56.4%
Enrolled % 23.4% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 28/33
SAT Range 1130/1340 1300/1480
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 St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Iowa St Olaf
Graduation Rate 71% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $279

Diversity

Iowa St Olaf
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 75%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 12% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Iowa St Olaf
% In-State 54% 47%
% Out-of-State 45% 43%

Campus

Iowa St Olaf
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 St Olaf based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 3,046 students)

Iowa vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or St Olaf?

  • St Olaf College is 527.4% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 78.2% higher at St Olaf than University of Iowa ($54,650.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than St Olaf ($19,587 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 8.5% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($11,476 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than University of Iowa (99% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 305.7% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($40,399 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 118 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

Iowa vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than University of Iowa (85% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $6,100 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $5,384 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($21,616 vs. $27,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($223 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 70%)

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