UNI vs. WLC

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

 UNI WLC
Location Cedar Falls, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,945 1,086
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #414 #532
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI WLC
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $33,210
Room & Board $9,343 $11,380
Avg Net Price $15,782 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

 UNI WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 1,474
Admitted 4,362 1,383
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 93.8%
Enrolled % 32.9% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 22/27
SAT Range 1020/1330 1038/1243
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

Academics

 UNI WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 UNI WLC
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $258

Diversity

 UNI WLC
% Men 36% 44%
% Women 64% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 83%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 UNI WLC
% In-State 91% 66%
% Out-of-State 8% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Iowa is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 1,086 students)

UNI vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 309.4% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.4% higher at WLC than University of Northern Iowa ($33,210.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than WLC ($15,782 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 21.8% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($9,343 vs. $11,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than University of Northern Iowa (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 260.7% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($23,128 vs. $6,412)

UNI vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 51 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming WLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than WLC (93.8%)

UNI vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI or WLC? 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 WLC and UNI.

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $4,700 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $43,000)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $4,375 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($20,625 vs. $25,000)
  • UNI graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than WLC graduates. ($213 vs. $258)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 72%)

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