Match #1
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
Profile closeness71/100
Admit rate91%
- 25,808 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 76%, close to 69%
- Acceptance rate 91%, close to 93%
The colleges most similar to University of Northern Iowa are Iowa State University, University of Iowa, and Southeast Missouri State University. University of Northern Iowa admits 93% of applicants and has an average net price of $16,038 a year; 4 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 2 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with University of Northern Iowa. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to University of Northern Iowa
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Profile closeness65/100
Admit rate84%
- 22,264 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 76%, close to 69%
- Acceptance rate 84%, close to 93%
Match #3
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate74%
- 6,373 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 61%, close to 69%
- Enrollment 6,373 students, close to 7,529
Match #4
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO
Profile closeness84/100
Admit rate73%
- 5,521 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 67%, close to 69%
- Enrollment 5,521 students, close to 7,529
Match #5
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate98%
- 9,198 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 62%, close to 69%
- Enrollment 9,198 students, close to 7,529
Match #6
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate98%
- 8,750 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 8,750 students, close to 7,529
- Acceptance rate 98%, close to 93%
Match #7
Missouri State University-Springfield
Springfield, MO
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate91%
- 13,313 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 91%, close to 93%
- Average net price $17,270, close to $16,038
Match #8
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate87%
- 8,494 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 8,494 students, close to 7,529
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 93%
Match #9
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate88%
- 11,703 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Acceptance rate 88%, close to 93%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #10
Illinois State University
Normal, IL
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate88%
- 19,057 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 67%, close to 69%
- Acceptance rate 88%, close to 93%
Questions about University of Northern Iowa alternatives
What colleges are similar to University of Northern Iowa?
The closest matches to University of Northern Iowa are Iowa State University, University of Iowa, Southeast Missouri State University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and South Dakota State University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is University of Northern Iowa hard to get into?
University of Northern Iowa admitted 93% of its 4,772 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 2 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which University of Northern Iowa alternatives cost less?
4 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than University of Northern Iowa ($16,038 a year), including Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ($12,554), Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville ($13,111), and Iowa State University ($15,422). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
