Morningside University
Sioux City, IA 51106-1751
About Morningside University
Morningside University is a private research university in Sioux City, Iowa, enrolling about 1,163 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 71.04% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $55,494 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Morningside University charges 35% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($39,660).
- Versus the Iowa median, sticker tuition is about 2.0×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 50.14%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $55,494.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Morningside University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 343% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Morningside University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 59 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morningside University | $39,660 | $31,320 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Iowa (state median) | $20,270 | $11,272 | 49 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 21% below published tuition at Morningside University
Key findings
- Morningside University's average net price ($31,320) is 21% below published tuition ($39,660).
- Morningside University charges 35% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($39,660).
- Versus the Iowa median, sticker tuition is about 2.0×.
Morningside University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $39,660
Finding Morningside University charges 35% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $39,660. That is 35% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Iowa median ($20,270), sticker tuition is about 2.0×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.3×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Morningside University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Morningside University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Morningside University is $31,320.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $31,320 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $20,048 above the Iowa median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $16,349 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Morningside University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 21% lower after grants and scholarships.
Morningside University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Morningside University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$39,660
Avg. net price
$31,320
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $33,738 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $21,201 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $19,124 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,575 |
| $110,001+ | $41,981 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $158,640. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Morningside University is known for
Top program completions
- Special Education and Teaching, General70
- Elementary Education and Teaching62
- Business Administration and Management, General57
- Reading Teacher Education40
- Secondary Education and Teaching36
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 17% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 910
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Morningside University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Morningside University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Morningside University.
Campus
Location
Sioux City, IA
City / state
- ZIP
- 51106-1751
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 2.1× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
1,163
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,238
- Graduate
- 884
- Full-time share
- 96%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$26,028
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 33.87%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Morningside University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Morningside University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Morningside University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $25,990 | $25,990 | $18,682 |
| 2014 | $27,180 | $27,180 | $21,200 |
| 2015 | $28,155 | $28,155 | $20,899 |
| 2016 | $29,094 | $29,094 | $21,738 |
| 2017 | $30,490 | $30,490 | $22,267 |
| 2018 | $31,530 | $31,530 | $23,214 |
| 2019 | $32,720 | $32,720 | $21,337 |
| 2020 | $33,970 | $33,970 | $22,350 |
| 2021 | $35,270 | $35,270 | $23,807 |
| 2022 | $36,610 | $36,610 | $23,776 |
| 2023 | $38,190 | $38,190 | $23,169 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 910 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Morningside University reported total enrollment of about 1,163 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (54.3%), Race/ethnicity unknown (19.4%), and Hispanic or Latino (10.2%). About 33.87% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 23.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
95.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Morningside University in 2024 is 1,163 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,238 students. Graduate enrollment is about 884 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
74.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
41.45% 100% Completion Time
50.14% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 41.45% of students graduating from Morningside University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Special Education and Teaching, General: 20% male / 80% female
- Elementary Education and Teaching: 8% male / 92% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 74% male / 26% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Morningside University graduates earn a median of $55,494 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Morningside University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,494. Median federal loan debt: $26,028. Average net price used in cost models: $31,320.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Morningside University graduates report median earnings of $55,494 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Morningside University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (59 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Morningside University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Morningside University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Morningside University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$57.3M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Iowa median 1.6× the median ($36.3M)
- Plains median 2.4× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 2.2× the median ($26.4M)
- Iowa median 1.2× the median ($28,406)
- Plains median 2.2× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 2.7× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- Iowa median 12.4 pp above median (87.6%)
- Plains median 35.3 pp above median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 42.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,538
- Iowa median 1.1× the median ($7,039)
- Plains median near the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,726
- Iowa median near the median ($8,352)
- Plains median 1.1× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Morningside University at a glance
Morningside University
Morningside University is a private non-profit institution in Sioux City, IA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Special Education and Teaching, GeneralElementary Education and TeachingBusiness Administration and Management, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian54.3%Race/ethnicity unknown19.4%Hispanic or Latino10.2%
Schools near Morningside University
Other campuses in Sioux City, IA when available, plus nearby institutions in Iowa.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Iowa, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Morningside University located?
Morningside University is located in Sioux City, IA.
What is Morningside University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Morningside University is 71.0% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 2,756 applicants and 1,945 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Morningside University's tuition?
Morningside University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $39,660 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $31,320 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Morningside University cost?
Reported tuition is $39,660 and average net price is $31,320 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,650 annually.
Why is Morningside University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Morningside University, published tuition is $39,660 while average net price is $31,320—about 21% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Morningside University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($31,320), completion (50.1% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($55,494). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Morningside University?
Morningside University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,238 students, White (54.3%), Race/ethnicity unknown (19.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Morningside University?
About 23.5% of students at Morningside University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Morningside University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Morningside University reports midpoint SAT about 910.
What do graduates of Morningside University earn?
Median earnings are $47,687 six years after entry and $55,494 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Morningside University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 50.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Morningside University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $26,028.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.