Iowa vs. Miami vs. Ohio University

Should I go to University of Iowa or Miami University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or Miami 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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ISU Ohio State IU UC Purdue University of Dayton University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI Wisconsin Illinois Penn State
University of Iowa vs. Miami University vs. Ohio University Main Campus comparison
University of Iowa Miami University Ohio University Main Campus College 4
University of Iowa Miami University Ohio University Main Campus
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Overview

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
Location Iowa City, IA Oxford, OH Athens, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 30,042 18,618 24,937
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #284 #498
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu muohio.edu ohio.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $14,635 $13,746
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $36,851 $24,114
Room & Board $12,616 $16,714 $13,594
Avg Net Price $20,121 $27,928 $20,550
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $12,685 $8,616
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 95% 93%

Admission

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
Applied 25,682 34,498 25,648
Admitted 21,746 28,319 21,739
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 82.1% 84.8%
Enrolled % 23.3% 13.9% 21.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.85 3.59
Typical High School Grades A- A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 26/31 22/28
SAT Range 1130/1320 1210/1380 1100/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
Graduation Rate 71% 81% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $54,300 $44,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 57% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $24,750 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $223 $255 $211

Diversity

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
% Men 12% 3% 9%
% Women 14% 8% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Low Very Low
HBCU No No No
% White 67% 77% 83%
% Black 3% 3% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3% 3%
% International 12% 10% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 0% 1%

Students

 Iowa Miami Ohio University
% In-State 52% 63% 86%
% Out-of-State 46% 36% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Miami based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 18,618 students)

Iowa vs. Miami Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Miami?

  • Miami University is 62.3% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($14,635.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19% higher at Miami than University of Iowa ($36,851.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Miami ($20,121 vs. $27,928)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 32.5% lower than costs at Miami University ($12,616 vs. $16,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Miami University than University of Iowa (95% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Miami University students is 33.4% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($12,685 vs. $9,512)

Iowa vs. Miami Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Miami University (1259) is 95 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Miami students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Miami students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Iowa (3.81)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Miami (82.1%)

Iowa vs. Miami Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or Miami? 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 Miami and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Miami is higher than University of Iowa (81% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $5,500 more per year than Miami graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $54,300)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $3,134 lower median federal student loan debt than Miami graduates. ($21,616 vs. $24,750)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Miami graduates. ($223 vs. $255)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Miami students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 57%)

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