UNI vs. Macalester College

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

UNI Macalester College
Location Cedar Falls, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,945 2,175
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #414 #97
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu macalester.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNI Macalester College
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $62,270
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $62,270
Room & Board $9,343 $14,000
Avg Net Price $15,782 $36,095
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $40,262
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 89%

Admission

UNI Macalester College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 8,434
Admitted 4,362 2,397
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 28.4%
Enrolled % 32.9% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 20/26 30/34
SAT Range 1020/1330 1340/1500
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 15, 2024

Academics

UNI Macalester College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

UNI Macalester College
Graduation Rate 67% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $54,100
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $22,670
Median Loan Payment $213 $234

Diversity

UNI Macalester College
% Men 36% 42%
% Women 64% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 66%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 4% 14%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UNI Macalester College
% In-State 91% 18%
% Out-of-State 8% 69%

Campus

UNI Macalester College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Iowa is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 2,175 students)

UNI vs. Macalester College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or Macalester College?

  • Macalester College is 667.7% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 223.2% higher at Macalester College than University of Northern Iowa ($62,270.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than Macalester College ($15,782 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 49.8% lower than costs at Macalester College ($9,343 vs. $14,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than University of Northern Iowa (89% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 527.9% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($40,262 vs. $6,412)

UNI vs. Macalester College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 308 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at UNI (3.61)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Macalester College (28.4%)

UNI vs. Macalester College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI or Macalester College? 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 Macalester College and UNI.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than University of Northern Iowa (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $6,400 more per year than UNI graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $47,700)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $2,045 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($20,625 vs. $22,670)
  • UNI graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($213 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 72%)

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