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ISU Tennessee Louisville IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI Wisconsin UC Auburn Alabama| University of Iowa | University of Kentucky | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
| Location | Iowa City, IA | Lexington, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,015 | 31,547 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #224 | #408 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uiowa.edu | uky.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,711 | $11,496 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,674 | $30,913 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,476 | $14,676 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,587 | $18,693 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,959 | $14,114 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 82% | 94% |
Admission |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,729 | 22,109 | ||
| Admitted | 22,128 | 20,979 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 94.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.4% | 28.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.59 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1130/1340 | 1070/1290 | ||
| 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 | Feb 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 59% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,800 | $51,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 62% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,616 | $22,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $223 | $235 |
Diversity |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 44% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 12% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 54% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 37% | ||
Campus |
Iowa | Kentucky | ||
| 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 Kentucky is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 30,015 students)
Iowa vs. Kentucky Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Kentucky?
- University of Kentucky is 32% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $8,711.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at Kentucky than University of Iowa ($30,913.00 vs. $30,674.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than Iowa ($18,693 vs. $19,587)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 27.9% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,476 vs. $14,676)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than University of Iowa (94% vs. 82%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 41.7% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($14,114 vs. $9,959)
Iowa vs. Kentucky Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Iowa or Kentucky? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Kentucky or Iowa .
- The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 21 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
- Incoming Iowa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Kentucky (25)
- Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
- Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Iowa (86%)
Iowa vs. Kentucky Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Iowa or Kentucky? 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 Kentucky and Iowa.
- The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Kentucky (71% vs. 59%)
- Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $8,800 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $51,000)
- University of Iowa students graduate with a $1,134 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,750)
- Iowa graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($223 vs. $235)
- More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 62%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/