Wayne State vs University of Northern Iowa (UNI)

Wayne State University and University of Northern Iowa, both public institutions with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. Wayne State, located in the heart of Detroit, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, while UNI, situated in the vibrant city of Cedar Falls, Iowa, prides itself on its strong liberal arts foundation and personalized learning environment. With acceptance rates of 79% and 86%, respectively, both universities welcome a substantial number of applicants each year. While Wayne State's student body is predominantly undergraduate, UNI has a more balanced distribution between undergraduate and graduate students. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision.
University of Northern Iowa logo

University of Northern Iowa

Wayne State University logo

Wayne State University

Overview

Location Cedar Falls, Iowa Detroit, Michigan
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 81.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 85.8% 63.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $50
SAT range 980 - 1190 1030 - 1260
ACT range 20 - 26 22 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 3.0% 48.0%
Students submitting ACT score 66.0% 7.0%
Total number of applicants 4,772 15,181
Total number of admissions given out 4,094 9,603
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,553 2,732
Yield rate 37.9% 28.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $21,409

Out of state: $32,109
In state: $32,193

Out of state: $48,163
Average net price $15,231 $15,710
Tuition
In state: $7,780

Out of state: $18,480
In state: $12,376

Out of state: $28,346
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,699

Meal plan: $4,461
Room/dormitory: $7,463

Meal plan: $4,280
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

76.0%
Average amount $6,227
98.0%
Average amount $10,091
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,115
38.0%
Average amount $4,807
Students taking out private loans 8.0%
Average amount $7,770
3.0%
Average amount $11,147

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,967
Men 38.9% Women 61.1%
16,839
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students 1,250
Men 25.9% Women 74.1%
8,080
Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 9.5% 1.8%
International students 2.4% 4.4%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,412 3,192
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Iowa Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin Missouri Michigan Ohio Illinois New York Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 68.9% 55.8%
Dropout rate 9.5% 38.5%
Transferred out 20.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,668
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $72,923
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,120
  • Year 2: $60,399
  • Year 3: $71,051
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,778
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $70,112
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,521
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $65,647
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,320
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $65,408
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,657
  • Year 3: $63,798
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,695
  • Year 2: $52,908
  • Year 3: $60,640
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,123
  • Year 2: $49,752
  • Year 3: $57,498
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,675
  • Year 2: $55,151
  • Year 3: $57,318
Real Estate (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,372
  • Year 2: $45,221
  • Year 3: $57,298
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,713
  • Year 2: $118,922
  • Year 3: $120,470
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,568
  • Year 2: $105,465
  • Year 3: $119,721
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,273
  • Year 2: $105,037
  • Year 3: $108,496
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,257
  • Year 2: $90,079
  • Year 3: $91,709
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,278
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $90,813
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,864
  • Year 2: $79,473
  • Year 3: $89,687
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,116
  • Year 2: $72,510
  • Year 3: $88,775
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,198
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $86,111
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,849
  • Year 2: $75,921
  • Year 3: $85,185
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,406
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $79,412

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