UCI vs. Minnesota

Should I go to University of California Irvine or University of Minnesota Twin Cities? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI or Minnesota 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. 

Wisconsin UCLA UCSD UCSB UC Davis UC Riverside UCSC Michigan UC Berkeley University of Minnesota-Duluth ISU Ohio State
University of California Irvine vs. University of Minnesota Twin Cities comparison
University of California Irvine University of Minnesota Twin Cities College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UCI Minnesota
Location Irvine, CA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 35,937 54,955
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #140
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCI Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $14,006
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $33,246
Room & Board $17,699 $11,894
Avg Net Price $14,033 $16,018
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $11,388
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 63%

Admission

UCI Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 38,050
Admitted 25,212 28,504
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 74.9%
Enrolled % 22.5% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 26/33 27/32
SAT Range 1230/1430 1290/1500
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

UCI Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

UCI Minnesota
Graduation Rate 85% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $175 $208

Diversity

UCI Minnesota
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 15% 70%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 25% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 16% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UCI Minnesota
% In-State 81% 68%
% Out-of-State 7% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than UCI based on total student enrollment (54,955 students vs. 35,937 students)

UCI vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or Minnesota?

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 21.1% more expensive to attend than UCI for in-state tuition ($14,006.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.2% higher at UCI than University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($41,636.00 vs. $33,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than Minnesota ($14,033 vs. $16,018)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 48.8% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($11,894 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (80% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 52.9% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($17,411 vs. $11,388)

UCI vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1288) is 113 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming Minnesota students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman UCI students have at the same average high school GPA (3.75) as students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (74.9%) than UCI (21.2%)

UCI vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI or Minnesota? 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 Minnesota and UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (85% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $3,600 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $58,200)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $3,185 lower median federal student loan debt than Minnesota graduates. ($17,000 vs. $20,185)
  • UCI graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Minnesota graduates. ($175 vs. $208)
  • More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 74%)

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