Iowa vs. WLC

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

 Iowa WLC
Location Iowa City, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,042 1,094
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #417
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa WLC
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $34,520
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $34,520
Room & Board $12,616 $11,880
Avg Net Price $20,121 $22,809
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $24,122
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 100%

Admission

 Iowa WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 1,847
Admitted 21,746 1,460
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 79%
Enrolled % 23.3% 17.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 22/28
SAT Range 1130/1320 1060/1300
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

Academics

 Iowa WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Iowa WLC
Graduation Rate 71% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $258

Diversity

 Iowa WLC
% Men 12% 2%
% Women 14% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 83%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Iowa WLC
% In-State 52% 69%
% Out-of-State 46% 31%

Campus

 Iowa WLC
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 Iowa is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 1,094 students)

Iowa vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 282.9% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($34,520.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at WLC than University of Iowa ($34,520.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than WLC ($20,121 vs. $22,809)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wisconsin Lutheran College are 6.2% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($11,880 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than University of Iowa (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 153.6% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($24,122 vs. $9,512)

Iowa vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 63 points higher than at WLC (1101)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WLC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than WLC (79%)

Iowa vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (71% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $16,800 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $43,000)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $3,384 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($21,616 vs. $25,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than WLC graduates. ($223 vs. $258)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 70%)

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