Iowa Wesleyan University vs University of Iowa (UIowa)

Iowa Wesleyan University and the University of Iowa, both located in the Hawkeye State, offer distinct educational experiences. Iowa Wesleyan, a private institution, boasts a 90% acceptance rate, while the University of Iowa, a public research university, has a more selective 81% acceptance rate. Iowa Wesleyan's student body is predominantly female (60%), while the University of Iowa has a more balanced gender ratio (52% female, 48% male). Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors at Iowa Wesleyan including Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Psychology, and popular majors at the University of Iowa including Business, Engineering, and Psychology. With graduation rates of 45% and 78% respectively, Iowa Wesleyan and the University of Iowa offer varying levels of academic rigor and support. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Iowa Wesleyan University logo

Iowa Wesleyan University

University of Iowa logo

University of Iowa

Overview

Location Mount Pleasant, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 51.0% 88.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 81.9% 86.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 820 - 1020 1130 - 1350
ACT range 15 - 20 22 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 9.0% 18.0%
Students submitting ACT score 22.0% 65.0%
Total number of applicants 3,934 22,434
Total number of admissions given out 3,222 19,340
Admitted students who chose to enroll 267 4,521
Yield rate 8.3% 23.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $42,840
In state: $24,686

Out of state: $46,649
Average net price $34,988 $17,599
Tuition $32,550
In state: $8,356

Out of state: $30,319
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,410

Meal plan: $6,930
$11,780
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $12,333
71.0%
Average amount $11,007
Students receiving federal student loan 92.0%
Average amount $4,286
44.0%
Average amount $5,282
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $6,430
10.0%
Average amount $16,747

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 758
Men 57.9% Women 42.1%
21,608
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students 67
Men 52.2% Women 47.8%
8,301
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 39.4%
International students 11.3% 5.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Small
Dormitory capacity 568 6,660
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Iowa Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 22.5% 73.7%
Dropout rate 32.5% 7.2%
Transferred out 44.2% 17.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,594
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,581
  • Year 2: $49,840
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,362
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $125,938
  • Year 2: $134,155
  • Year 3: $142,171
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,649
  • Year 2: $112,215
  • Year 3: $121,442
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,222
  • Year 2: $96,991
  • Year 3: $113,045
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,534
  • Year 2: $103,913
  • Year 3: $108,049
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,863
  • Year 2: $69,757
  • Year 3: $81,687
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,283
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $81,057
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,973
  • Year 2: $69,657
  • Year 3: $80,787
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,231
  • Year 2: $71,351
  • Year 3: $80,592
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,094
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $78,583
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,942
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $71,106

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