UNI vs. MIAD

Should I go to University of Northern Iowa or Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNI or MIAD 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 Northern Iowa vs. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design comparison
University of Northern Iowa Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design College 3 College 4
University of Northern Iowa
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Overview

 UNI MIAD
Location Cedar Falls, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 9,013 885
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #509
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu miad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI MIAD
Tuition (In State) $8,396 $40,480
Tuition (Out of State) $19,940 $40,480
Room & Board $9,648 $10,430
Avg Net Price $15,931 $28,024
Avg Grant Aid $5,325 $24,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 100%

Admission

 UNI MIAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,913 1,059
Admitted 4,638 665
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 62.8%
Enrolled % 33.5% 30.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 20/28
SAT Range 860/1210 940/1140
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 Aug 31, 2026

Academics

 UNI MIAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communications Technology (7%)
  • Architecture (6%)

Outcomes

 UNI MIAD
Graduation Rate 67% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $36,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $279

Diversity

 UNI MIAD
% Men 4% 0%
% Women 11% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 68%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 UNI MIAD
% In-State 91% 56%
% Out-of-State 9% 44%

Campus

 UNI MIAD
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 MIAD based on total student enrollment (9,013 students vs. 885 students)

UNI vs. MIAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or MIAD?

  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is 382.1% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($40,480.00 vs. $8,396.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103% higher at MIAD than University of Northern Iowa ($40,480.00 vs. $19,940.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than MIAD ($15,931 vs. $28,024)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 8.1% lower than costs at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design ($9,648 vs. $10,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design than University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students is 362.1% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($24,605 vs. $5,325)

UNI vs. MIAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at MIAD (3.08)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than MIAD (62.8%)

UNI vs. MIAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (67% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $11,700 more per year than MIAD graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $36,000)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $6,375 lower median federal student loan debt than MIAD graduates. ($20,625 vs. $27,000)
  • UNI graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than MIAD graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
  • More UNI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MIAD students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 59%)

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