UNI vs. Northwestern College

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

UNI Northwestern College
Location Cedar Falls, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,945 3,253
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #414 #554
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNI Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $34,490
Room & Board $9,343 $10,644
Avg Net Price $15,782 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

UNI Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 1,349
Admitted 4,362 1,248
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 92.5%
Enrolled % 32.9% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 21/28
SAT Range 1020/1330 1015/1311
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, 2025

Academics

UNI Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

UNI Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 67% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $213 $228

Diversity

UNI Northwestern College
% Men 36% 39%
% Women 64% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

UNI Northwestern College
% In-State 91% 77%
% Out-of-State 8% 22%

Campus

UNI Northwestern College
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 Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 3,253 students)

UNI vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 325.2% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79% higher at Northwestern College than University of Northern Iowa ($34,490.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than Northwestern College ($15,782 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 13.9% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($9,343 vs. $10,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 219.5% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($20,487 vs. $6,412)

UNI vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1102) is 52 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Northwestern College (3.58)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Northwestern College (92.5%)

UNI vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI or Northwestern College? 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 Northwestern College and UNI.

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than Northwestern College (67% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $6,600 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $41,100)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $1,445 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($20,625 vs. $22,070)
  • UNI graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($213 vs. $228)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 72%)

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