UNI vs. MCAD

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

 UNI MCAD
Location Cedar Falls, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,945 821
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #414
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI MCAD
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $42,110
Room & Board $9,343 $7,290
Avg Net Price $15,782 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

 UNI MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 668
Admitted 4,362 380
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 56.9%
Enrolled % 32.9% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 19/27
SAT Range 1020/1330 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 UNI MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 UNI MCAD
Graduation Rate 67% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $213 $266

Diversity

 UNI MCAD
% Men 36% 31%
% Women 64% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 59%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 16%

Students

 UNI MCAD
% In-State 91% 61%
% Out-of-State 8% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Iowa is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 821 students)

UNI vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or MCAD?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 419.2% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.6% higher at MCAD than University of Northern Iowa ($42,110.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than MCAD ($15,782 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 28.2% lower than costs at University of Northern Iowa ($7,290 vs. $9,343)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 305.9% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($26,025 vs. $6,412)

UNI vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (1096) is 46 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming MCAD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than MCAD (56.9%)

UNI vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than University of Northern Iowa (70% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $6,200 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $41,500)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $5,125 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($20,625 vs. $25,750)
  • UNI graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($213 vs. $266)
  • More MCAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 72%)

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