UNI vs. MLC

Should I go to University of Northern Iowa or Martin Luther College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNI or MLC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Iowa ISU St Olaf UNOMAHA Wheaton College University of Minnesota-Duluth Drake Northwest Wartburg College WMU USD WLC
University of Northern Iowa vs. Martin Luther College comparison
University of Northern Iowa Martin Luther College College 3 College 4
University of Northern Iowa Martin Luther College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UNI MLC
Location Cedar Falls, IA New Ulm, MN
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 8,945 880
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #414
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu mlc-wels.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI MLC
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $17,420
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $17,420
Room & Board $9,343 $6,880
Avg Net Price $15,782 $22,293
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $6,301
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 99%

Admission

 UNI MLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 215
Admitted 4,362 180
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 83.7%
Enrolled % 32.9% 78.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 20/27
SAT Range 1020/1330 1051/1316
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

Academics

 UNI MLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Education (67%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (33%)

Outcomes

 UNI MLC
Graduation Rate 67% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $38,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $213 $239

Diversity

 UNI MLC
% Men 36% 47%
% Women 64% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 93%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 UNI MLC
% In-State 91% 20%
% Out-of-State 8% 78%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Iowa is larger than than MLC based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 880 students)

UNI vs. MLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or MLC?

  • Martin Luther College is 114.8% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($17,420.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.6% higher at UNI than Martin Luther College ($19,265.00 vs. $17,420.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than MLC ($15,782 vs. $22,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Martin Luther College are 35.8% lower than costs at University of Northern Iowa ($6,880 vs. $9,343)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Martin Luther College than University of Northern Iowa (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Northern Iowa students is 1.8% larger than aid received Martin Luther College ($6,412 vs. $6,301)

UNI vs. MLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Martin Luther College (1145) is 95 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming MLC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at MLC (3.56)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than MLC (83.7%)

UNI vs. MLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI or MLC? 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 MLC and UNI.

  • The graduation rate at MLC is higher than University of Northern Iowa (73% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $9,700 more per year than MLC graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than MLC graduates. ($20,625 vs. $23,125)
  • UNI graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than MLC graduates. ($213 vs. $239)
  • More MLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 72%)

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