Illinois vs. Iowa

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or University of Iowa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois 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.
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University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. University of Iowa comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Iowa College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Iowa
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Overview

 Illinois Iowa
Location Champaign, IL Iowa City, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,916 30,015
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #224
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Iowa
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $8,711
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $30,674
Room & Board $12,720 $11,476
Avg Net Price $14,544 $19,587
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $9,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 82%

Admission

 Illinois Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 25,729
Admitted 28,354 22,128
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 86%
Enrolled % 28.1% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34 22/28
SAT Range 1320/1510 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 Jan 5, 2024 May 1, 2024

Academics

 Illinois Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Iowa
Graduation Rate 82% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $211 $223

Diversity

 Illinois Iowa
% Men 54% 44%
% Women 46% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 67%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 12%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Illinois Iowa
% In-State 71% 54%
% Out-of-State 11% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 30,015 students)

Illinois vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Iowa?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 43.2% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.7% higher at Iowa than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($30,674.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Iowa ($14,544 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 10.8% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($11,476 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (82% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 66.2% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($16,552 vs. $9,959)

Illinois vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 141 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than University of Iowa (82% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $6,700 more per year than Iowa graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $59,800)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $1,116 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,616)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($211 vs. $223)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)

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