UIU vs. MCAD

Should I go to Upper Iowa University or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIU or MCAD 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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Upper Iowa University vs. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Upper Iowa University Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Overview

 UIU MCAD
Location Fayette, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Remote Rural Large City
Enrollment 3,072 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #737
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiu.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UIU MCAD
Tuition (In State) $32,589 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $32,589 $42,110
Room & Board $9,644 $7,290
Avg Net Price $24,563 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $25,788 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 UIU MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,405 668
Admitted 762 380
Acceptance Rate 54.2% 56.9%
Enrolled % 28.3% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/27
SAT Range 890/1050 1170/1380
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 UIU MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 UIU MCAD
Graduation Rate 45% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $248 $266

Diversity

 UIU MCAD
% Men 41% 31%
% Women 59% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 59%
% Black 19% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 16%

Students

 UIU MCAD
% In-State 49% 61%
% Out-of-State 48% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Upper Iowa University is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (3,072 students vs. 821 students)

UIU vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIU or MCAD?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 29.2% more expensive to attend than UIU for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $32,589.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.2% higher at MCAD than Upper Iowa University ($42,110.00 vs. $32,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Upper Iowa University than MCAD ($24,563 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 32.3% lower than costs at Upper Iowa University ($7,290 vs. $9,644)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University as Minneapolis College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 0.9% larger than aid received Upper Iowa University ($26,025 vs. $25,788)

UIU vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (1096) is 166 points higher than at UIU (930)
  • Incoming MCAD students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UIU (20)
  • Accepted freshman UIU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (56.9%) than UIU (54.2%)

UIU vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIU or MCAD? 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 MCAD and UIU.

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Upper Iowa University (70% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Upper Iowa University earn on average $600 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $41,500)
  • Upper Iowa University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,750)
  • UIU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($248 vs. $266)
  • More MCAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 50%)

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