Iowa vs. Minnesota

Should I go to University of Iowa or University of Minnesota Twin Cities? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or Minnesota 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 Wisconsin IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska Michigan University of Minnesota-Duluth UNI Ohio State Illinois University of St Thomas
University of Iowa vs. University of Minnesota Twin Cities comparison
University of Iowa University of Minnesota Twin Cities College 3 College 4
University of Iowa University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Iowa Minnesota
Location Iowa City, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,015 54,955
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #140
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $14,006
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $33,246
Room & Board $11,476 $11,894
Avg Net Price $19,587 $16,018
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $11,388
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 63%

Admission

Iowa Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 38,050
Admitted 22,128 28,504
Acceptance Rate 86% 74.9%
Enrolled % 23.4% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 27/32
SAT Range 1130/1340 1290/1500
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 1, 2025

Academics

Iowa Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Iowa Minnesota
Graduation Rate 71% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $223 $208

Diversity

Iowa Minnesota
% Men 44% 44%
% Women 56% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 70%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 12% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Iowa Minnesota
% In-State 54% 68%
% Out-of-State 45% 26%

Campus

Iowa Minnesota
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 Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (54,955 students vs. 30,015 students)

Iowa vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Minnesota?

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 60.8% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($14,006.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.4% higher at Minnesota than University of Iowa ($33,246.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than Iowa ($16,018 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 3.6% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($11,476 vs. $11,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (82% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Minnesota Twin Cities students is 14.3% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($11,388 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1288) is 124 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Minnesota students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Minnesota (74.9%)

Iowa vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (71% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $1,600 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $58,200)
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $1,431 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,185 vs. $21,616)
  • Minnesota graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($208 vs. $223)
  • More Minnesota graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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