UNI vs. Northwestern College

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA with Northwestern College in Orange City, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of Northern Iowa is larger than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (9,278 students vs. 1,705 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, IA (Small City setting); Northwestern College is in Orange City, IA (Distant Town setting).
• University of Northern Iowa is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Northwestern College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Northern Iowa 18:1; Northwestern College 15:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 8.4% lower than at Northwestern College ($9,986 vs. $10,900).
• Out-of-state tuition is 69.1% higher at Northwestern College than at University of Northern Iowa (about $14,998 more per year; $36,710 vs. $21,712).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwestern College than at University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 301.3% larger than aid received by University of Northern Iowa students ($23,537 vs. $5,865).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 1 point higher at Northwestern College than at UNI (23 vs. 22, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test optional at UNI, test-free at Northwestern College.
• Enrolled first-year students at UNI average a 3.61 high school GPA, 0.04 higher than at Northwestern College (3.57).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.1% at UNI vs. 27.2% at Northwestern College.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Northern Iowa graduates have a $4,467 lower median loan debt than Northwestern College graduates ($20,625 vs. $25,092).
• Among borrowers, UNI graduates have an estimated $46 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Northwestern College graduates ($213 vs. $259).
• More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation (85% vs. 72%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.