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ISU Minnesota Michigan Illinois Ohio State IU UW-Seattle Purdue Maryland UT Austin University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska| University of Iowa | University of Wisconsin Madison | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
| Location | Iowa City, IA | Madison, WI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,015 | 48,956 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #224 | #105 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uiowa.edu | wisc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,711 | $9,273 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,674 | $37,904 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,476 | $12,894 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,587 | $13,376 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,959 | $11,171 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 82% | 47% |
Admission |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,729 | 60,214 | ||
| Admitted | 22,128 | 29,539 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 49.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.4% | 29.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.88 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 26/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1130/1340 | 1340/1510 | ||
| 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 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,800 | $64,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,616 | $22,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $223 | $230 |
Diversity |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 44% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 12% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 54% | 43% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 47% | ||
Campus |
Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
| 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 Wisconsin Madison is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 30,015 students)
Iowa vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Wisconsin?
- University of Wisconsin Madison is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($9,273.00 vs. $8,711.00)
- Out of state tuition is 23.6% higher at Wisconsin than University of Iowa ($37,904.00 vs. $30,674.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Iowa ($13,376 vs. $19,587)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 12.4% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($11,476 vs. $12,894)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of Wisconsin Madison (82% vs. 47%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wisconsin Madison students is 12.2% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($11,171 vs. $9,959)
Iowa vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Iowa or Wisconsin? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wisconsin or Iowa .
- The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 136 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
- Incoming Wisconsin students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Iowa (26)
- Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Iowa (3.81)
- Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Wisconsin (49.1%)
Iowa vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Iowa or Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin and Iowa.
- The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than University of Iowa (82% vs. 71%)
- Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $5,000 more per year than Iowa graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $59,800)
- University of Iowa students graduate with a $634 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,250)
- Iowa graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($223 vs. $230)
- More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/