UNI vs. NDSU

Should I go to University of Northern Iowa or North Dakota State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNI or NDSU 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. North Dakota State University Main Campus comparison
University of Northern Iowa North Dakota State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Northern Iowa North Dakota State University Main Campus
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Overview

 UNI NDSU
Location Cedar Falls, IA Fargo, ND
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 9,013 11,952
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #509 #591
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu ndsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI NDSU
Tuition (In State) $8,396 $9,309
Tuition (Out of State) $19,940 $13,963
Room & Board $9,648 $9,565
Avg Net Price $15,931 $16,461
Avg Grant Aid $5,325 $5,841
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 78%

Admission

 UNI NDSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,913 7,331
Admitted 4,638 7,024
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 95.8%
Enrolled % 33.5% 31.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 19/25
SAT Range 860/1210 968/1216
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 1, 2026

Academics

 UNI NDSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 UNI NDSU
Graduation Rate 67% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $53,600
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $23,300
Median Loan Payment $213 $240

Diversity

 UNI NDSU
% Men 4% 9%
% Women 11% 9%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 86%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UNI NDSU
% In-State 91% 35%
% Out-of-State 9% 65%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • North Dakota State University Main Campus is larger than than UNI based on total student enrollment (11,952 students vs. 9,013 students)

UNI vs. NDSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or NDSU?

  • North Dakota State University Main Campus is 10.9% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($9,309.00 vs. $8,396.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.8% higher at UNI than North Dakota State University Main Campus ($19,940.00 vs. $13,963.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than NDSU ($15,931 vs. $16,461)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Dakota State University Main Campus are 0.9% lower than costs at University of Northern Iowa ($9,565 vs. $9,648)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Dakota State University Main Campus than University of Northern Iowa (78% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Dakota State University Main Campus students is 9.7% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($5,841 vs. $5,325)

UNI vs. NDSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Dakota State University Main Campus (1091) is 41 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming NDSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at NDSU (3.53)
  • NDSU has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than UNI (94.4%)

UNI vs. NDSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than North Dakota State University Main Campus (67% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from North Dakota State University Main Campus earn on average $5,900 more per year than UNI graduates after ten years. ($53,600 vs. $47,700)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $2,675 lower median federal student loan debt than NDSU graduates. ($20,625 vs. $23,300)
  • UNI graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than NDSU graduates. ($213 vs. $240)
  • More NDSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 72%)

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