Iowa vs. UH

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

Iowa UH
Location Iowa City, IA Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,015 46,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #452
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu uh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa UH
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $8,685
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $20,877
Room & Board $11,476 $10,418
Avg Net Price $19,587 $14,056
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $11,457
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 75%

Admission

Iowa UH
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 29,783
Admitted 22,128 19,728
Acceptance Rate 86% 66.2%
Enrolled % 23.4% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.46
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 23/29
SAT Range 1130/1340 1160/1330
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 May 31, 2025

Academics

Iowa UH
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa UH
Graduation Rate 71% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $223 $204

Diversity

Iowa UH
% Men 44% 48%
% Women 56% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 26%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 7% 32%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Iowa UH
% In-State 54% 93%
% Out-of-State 45% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (46,700 students vs. 30,015 students)

Iowa vs. UH Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or UH?

  • University of Iowa is 0.3% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $8,685.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.9% higher at Iowa than University of Houston ($30,674.00 vs. $20,877.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than Iowa ($14,056 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 10.2% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,418 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of Houston (82% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston students is 15% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($11,457 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. UH Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 10 points higher than at UH (1154)
  • Incoming Iowa students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at UH (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at UH (3.46)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than UH (66.2%)

Iowa vs. UH Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Houston (71% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $800 more per year than UH graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $59,000)
  • University of Houston students graduate with a $1,866 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($19,750 vs. $21,616)
  • UH graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($204 vs. $223)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 61%)

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