Iowa vs. UNCW

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

 Iowa UNCW
Location Iowa City, IA Wilmington, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,909 18,030
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #186 #361
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa UNCW
Tuition (In State) $8,356 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $30,319 $18,508
Room & Board $11,780 $11,346
Avg Net Price $17,452 $17,946
Avg Grant Aid $10,611 $6,579
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 67%

Admission

 Iowa UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,434 15,792
Admitted 19,340 10,736
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 68%
Enrolled % 23.4% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 24/28
SAT Range 1130/1350 1210/1330
Submit Test Scores Required Considered but not required
Application Deadline May 1, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Iowa UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 Iowa UNCW
Graduation Rate 71% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $223 $211

Diversity

 Iowa UNCW
% Men 45% 34%
% Women 55% 66%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 78%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Iowa UNCW
% In-State 60% 82%
% Out-of-State 39% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (29,909 students vs. 18,030 students)

Iowa vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or UNCW?

  • University of Iowa is 88.1% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($8,356.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.8% higher at Iowa than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($30,319.00 vs. $18,508.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than UNCW ($17,452 vs. $17,946)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 3.8% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($11,346 vs. $11,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (84% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 61.3% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($10,611 vs. $6,579)

Iowa vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 2 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than UNCW (68%)

Iowa vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (71% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $15,100 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $1,116 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,616)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($211 vs. $223)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 64%)

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