Iowa vs. Nebraska

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

Iowa Nebraska
Location Iowa City, IA Lincoln, NE
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,015 23,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #306
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu unl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Nebraska
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $7,770
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $24,900
Room & Board $11,476 $12,430
Avg Net Price $19,587 $16,805
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $10,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 91%

Admission

Iowa Nebraska
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 19,102
Admitted 22,128 15,022
Acceptance Rate 86% 78.6%
Enrolled % 23.4% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 22/28
SAT Range 1130/1340 1110/1340
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 1, 2025

Academics

Iowa Nebraska
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%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Agriculture (7%)

Outcomes

Iowa Nebraska
Graduation Rate 71% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $21,700
Median Loan Payment $223 $224

Diversity

Iowa Nebraska
% Men 44% 50%
% Women 56% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 77%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Iowa Nebraska
% In-State 54% 73%
% Out-of-State 45% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Nebraska based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 23,805 students)

Iowa vs. Nebraska Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Nebraska?

  • University of Iowa is 12.1% more expensive to attend than Nebraska for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $7,770.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.2% higher at Iowa than University of Nebraska Lincoln ($30,674.00 vs. $24,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nebraska Lincoln than Iowa ($16,805 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 8.3% lower than costs at University of Nebraska Lincoln ($11,476 vs. $12,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska Lincoln than University of Iowa (91% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Nebraska Lincoln students is 9.9% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($10,941 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. Nebraska Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 19 points higher than at Nebraska (1145)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Nebraska (25)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Nebraska (3.63)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Nebraska (78.6%)

Iowa vs. Nebraska Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Nebraska Lincoln (71% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $10,200 more per year than Nebraska graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $49,600)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $84 lower median federal student loan debt than Nebraska graduates. ($21,616 vs. $21,700)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Nebraska graduates. ($223 vs. $224)
  • More Nebraska graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 70%)

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