Wheaton College vs. Iowa

Should I go to Wheaton College or University of Iowa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or Iowa 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

ISU IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI Wisconsin Illinois Miami Minnesota Michigan State Calvin College
Wheaton College vs. University of Iowa comparison
Wheaton College University of Iowa College 3 College 4
Wheaton College University of Iowa
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Wheaton College Iowa
Location Wheaton, IL Iowa City, IA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,885 30,015
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #224
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Iowa
Tuition (In State) $41,990 $8,711
Tuition (Out of State) $41,990 $30,674
Room & Board $11,690 $11,476
Avg Net Price $29,961 $19,587
Avg Grant Aid $24,272 $9,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 82%

Admission

Wheaton College Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,893 25,729
Admitted 1,674 22,128
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 86%
Enrolled % 30.1% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 28/33 22/28
SAT Range 1250/1430 1130/1340
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Wheaton College Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Iowa
Graduation Rate 87% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $232 $223

Diversity

Wheaton College Iowa
% Men 43% 44%
% Women 57% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 67%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Wheaton College Iowa
% In-State 23% 54%
% Out-of-State 70% 45%

Campus

Wheaton College Iowa
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 2,885 students)

Wheaton College vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Iowa?

  • Wheaton College is 382% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($41,990.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.9% higher at Wheaton College than University of Iowa ($41,990.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Wheaton College ($19,587 vs. $29,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 1.9% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($11,476 vs. $11,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than University of Iowa (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 143.7% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($24,272 vs. $9,959)

Wheaton College vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 150 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Wheaton College (3.75)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Iowa (86%)

Wheaton College vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Iowa? 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 Iowa and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than University of Iowa (87% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $5,500 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $54,300)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $884 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,500)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($223 vs. $232)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 70%)

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