Iowa vs. Wisconsin

Should I go to University of Iowa or University of Wisconsin Madison? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin Madison comparison
University of Iowa University of Wisconsin Madison College 3 College 4
University of Iowa University of Wisconsin Madison
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

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/