University of South Alabama vs. UNI

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

University of South Alabama UNI
Location Mobile, AL Cedar Falls, IA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 13,768 9,013
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750 #509
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website southalabama.edu uni.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Alabama UNI
Tuition (In State) $8,976 $8,396
Tuition (Out of State) $17,952 $19,940
Room & Board $8,830 $9,648
Avg Net Price $13,613 $15,931
Avg Grant Aid $8,500 $5,325
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 74%

Admission

University of South Alabama UNI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,593 4,913
Admitted 8,247 4,638
Acceptance Rate 65.5% 94.4%
Enrolled % 23.3% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 20/26
SAT Range 1015/1200 860/1210
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

University of South Alabama UNI
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

University of South Alabama UNI
Graduation Rate 39% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $47,700
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $20,625
Median Loan Payment $253 $213

Diversity

University of South Alabama UNI
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 28% 11%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 83%
% Black 24% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

University of South Alabama UNI
% In-State 73% 91%
% Out-of-State 26% 9%

Campus

University of South Alabama UNI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Alabama is larger than than UNI based on total student enrollment (13,768 students vs. 9,013 students)

University of South Alabama vs. UNI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of South Alabama or UNI?

  • University of South Alabama is 6.9% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($8,976.00 vs. $8,396.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at UNI than University of South Alabama ($19,940.00 vs. $17,952.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Alabama than UNI ($13,613 vs. $15,931)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Alabama are 9.3% lower than costs at University of Northern Iowa ($8,830 vs. $9,648)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Alabama than University of Northern Iowa (94% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Alabama students is 59.6% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($8,500 vs. $5,325)

University of South Alabama vs. UNI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Northern Iowa (1050) is 5 points higher than at University of South Alabama (1045)
  • Incoming University of South Alabama students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman University of South Alabama students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UNI (3.61)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than University of South Alabama (65.5%)

University of South Alabama vs. UNI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of South Alabama or UNI? 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 UNI and University of South Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than University of South Alabama (67% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $2,500 more per year than University of South Alabama graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $45,200)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than University of South Alabama graduates. ($20,625 vs. $24,500)
  • UNI graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than University of South Alabama graduates. ($213 vs. $253)
  • More UNI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Alabama students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 45%)

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