Iowa vs. UNC Charlotte

Should I go to University of Iowa or University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or UNC Charlotte 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 North Carolina at Charlotte comparison
University of Iowa University of North Carolina at Charlotte College 3 College 4
University of Iowa University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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Overview

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
Location Iowa City, IA Charlotte, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,042 30,298
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $18,474
Room & Board $12,616 $13,864
Avg Net Price $20,121 $13,768
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $8,150
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 58%

Admission

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 22,699
Admitted 21,746 18,208
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 80.2%
Enrolled % 23.3% 24.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 21/27
SAT Range 1130/1320 1110/1320
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 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 71% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $237

Diversity

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
% Men 12% 8%
% Women 14% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 60%
% Black 3% 17%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Iowa UNC Charlotte
% In-State 52% 90%
% Out-of-State 46% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (30,298 students vs. 30,042 students)

Iowa vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or UNC Charlotte?

  • University of Iowa is 136.5% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($9,016.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.7% higher at Iowa than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($30,979.00 vs. $18,474.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than Iowa ($13,768 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 9.9% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($12,616 vs. $13,864)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (74% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 16.7% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($9,512 vs. $8,150)

Iowa vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 71 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than UNC Charlotte (80.2%)

Iowa vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (71% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $11,200 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $48,600)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $1,384 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($21,616 vs. $23,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($223 vs. $237)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte 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/