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Moderately selective2026-2027 admissions cycle

Morningside University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

Morningside University is a private college in Iowa that admits most qualified applicants (around 71%), which puts it in the moderately selective range. A rate like this means it admits more applicants than it rejects; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.

Your odds at Morningside University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Morningside University weighs, where it ranks among Iowa schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1170, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
71%
Moderately selective
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1170
of admitted students
Type
Private
Sioux City, IA
Average net price
$31,320
per year after aid

What do students study at Morningside University?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Business, Management and Marketing · 72 (27.9%)Education · 68 (26.4%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 30 (11.6%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 26 (10.1%)Psychology · 20 (7.8%)Agriculture and Agricultural Operations · 10 (3.9%)

Will I get into Morningside University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Morningside University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Morningside University?

At Morningside University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 71% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Morningside University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Morningside University hard to get into?

Morningside University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 71% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Morningside University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Morningside University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Morningside University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Morningside University?

Morningside University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1170. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Morningside University.

Calculate your chances at Morningside University →

Your chances at Morningside University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Morningside University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Morningside University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1110 SAT?

About 89% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1110 SAT, the middle of Morningside University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1170 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Morningside University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 104025th pctSAT 1110middleSAT 117075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.532%Target45%Likely58%Likely31%Target
2.859%Likely72%Safety81%Safety66%Likely
3.181%Safety89%Safety93%Safety88%Safety
3.493%Safety96%Safety98%Safety97%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/morningside-university.

How to get into Morningside University

Built from Morningside University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Getting into Morningside University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Morningside University carries about a 3.22 core GPA and a 1120 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Morningside University weighs

Morningside University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Morningside University's exact dates at www.morningside.edu.

See your odds and your top moves at Morningside University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.morningside.edu ↗

How many students apply to Morningside University, and how many get in?

2,756 students applied to Morningside University for fall 2023; 1,945 were admitted (70.6%). 337 enrolled. Only about 17% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Morningside University enrolls about 1,163 undergraduates in total, 51% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.

Applied
2,756
fall 2023
Admitted
1,945
70.6% of applicants
Enrolled
337
17% yield
Undergraduates
1,163
Sioux City, small city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Morningside University?

Morningside University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.

Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Morningside University looks for

What Morningside University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

Morningside University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Morningside University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Important
Standardized test scores
Very important
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Considered

SAT score positioning at Morningside University

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Morningside University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100Below the middle, makes the rest of the profile matter more
Colleges for a 1170 SAT →Colleges for a 24 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Morningside University cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Morningside University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $52,577 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $39,660. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $31,320 a year, and it ranges from $33,738 for families earning under $30,000 to $41,981 for families earning over $110,000. 34% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$52,577
per year, before aid
Average net price
$31,320
after grants and scholarships
Pell recipients
34%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$33,738
$30k to $48k$21,201
$48k to $75k$19,124
$75k to $110k$20,575
Over $110k$41,981

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Morningside University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Morningside University students ten years after entry are $55,494 ($47,687 at the six-year mark). 50% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 74% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $26,028; 66% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$55,494
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
50%
within six years
Retention
74%
return for year two
Median debt
$26,028
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Morningside University compares in Iowa

Morningside University ranks #7 most selective of 21 schools in Iowa in our database.

Among the 21 Iowa schools we track, Morningside University ranks #7 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Grinnell College (15%) and William Penn University (52%) sit nearby, which makes Iowa a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.

Grinnell College
15%acceptance · IA
William Penn University
52%acceptance · IA
Drake University
64%acceptance · IA
Coe College
64%acceptance · IA
Briar Cliff University
65%acceptance · IA
Dordt University
68%acceptance · IA
Luther College
72%acceptance · IA
Clarke University
72%acceptance · IA
See all Iowa schools →

Similar to Morningside University

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

If Morningside University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: University of the Pacific, Caldwell University, and Calvin University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

University of the Pacific
71%acceptance · CA
Caldwell University
71%acceptance · NJ
Calvin University
71%acceptance · MI
Endicott College
71%acceptance · MA
Harding University
71%acceptance · AR
Holy Family University
71%acceptance · PA

Frequently asked questions

What is Morningside University's acceptance rate?

Morningside University admitted 1,945 of 2,756 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 70.6% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 17% of admitted students enrolled.

Is Morningside University test-optional?

Yes. Morningside University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.

How much does Morningside University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Morningside University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $31,320 a year against a sticker price of about $52,577. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $33,738 on average.

What do Morningside University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Morningside University are $55,494 a year among students who received federal aid, and 50% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Morningside University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Morningside University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Morningside University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Morningside University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.

How can I improve my chances at Morningside University?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Morningside University specifically.

What are the admission requirements for Morningside University?

Morningside University reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.