Iowa vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth

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

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
Location Iowa City, IA Duluth, MN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 30,042 9,350
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #544
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $12,766
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $18,210
Room & Board $12,616 $10,206
Avg Net Price $20,121 $19,542
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $6,833
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 90%

Admission

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 9,502
Admitted 21,746 7,768
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 81.8%
Enrolled % 23.3% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 23/28
SAT Range 1130/1320 1128/1335
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, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
Graduation Rate 71% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $258

Diversity

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
% Men 12% 4%
% Women 14% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 86%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
% In-State 52% 85%
% Out-of-State 46% 14%

Campus

Iowa University of Minnesota-Duluth
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 Iowa is larger than than University of Minnesota-Duluth based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 9,350 students)

Iowa vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or University of Minnesota-Duluth?

  • University of Minnesota Duluth is 41.6% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($12,766.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.1% higher at Iowa than University of Minnesota Duluth ($30,979.00 vs. $18,210.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Duluth than Iowa ($19,542 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Duluth are 23.6% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,206 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Duluth than University of Iowa (90% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 39.2% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($9,512 vs. $6,833)

Iowa vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 55 points higher than at University of Minnesota-Duluth (1109)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (24)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (3.51)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than University of Minnesota-Duluth (81.8%)

Iowa vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or University of Minnesota-Duluth? 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 University of Minnesota-Duluth and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Minnesota Duluth (71% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $6,300 more per year than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $53,500)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $3,384 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($21,616 vs. $25,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($223 vs. $258)
  • More University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 70%)

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