Cornell College vs. ISU

Should I go to Cornell College or Iowa State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cornell College or ISU 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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Cornell College vs. Iowa State University comparison
Cornell College Iowa State University College 3 College 4
Cornell College Iowa State University
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Overview

Cornell College ISU
Location Mount Vernon, IA Ames, IA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,073 29,969
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #424 #352
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornellcollege.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell College ISU
Tuition (In State) $48,514 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $48,514 $25,162
Room & Board $10,872 $9,358
Avg Net Price $25,686 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $38,069 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 80%

Admission

Cornell College ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,057 21,919
Admitted 2,425 19,776
Acceptance Rate 79.3% 90.2%
Enrolled % 13.6% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 21/28
SAT Range 1170/1380 1090/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Cornell College ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Cornell College ISU
Graduation Rate 70% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,400 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $279 $246

Diversity

Cornell College ISU
% Men 52% 55%
% Women 48% 45%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 76%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

Cornell College ISU
% In-State 30% 52%
% Out-of-State 67% 45%

Campus

Cornell College ISU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 1,073 students)

Cornell College vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell College or ISU?

  • Cornell College is 459% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($48,514.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92.8% higher at Cornell College than Iowa State University ($48,514.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Cornell College ($15,310 vs. $25,686)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 16.2% lower than costs at Cornell College ($9,358 vs. $10,872)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 244.7% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($38,069 vs. $11,043)

Cornell College vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell College (1177) is 35 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Cornell College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Cornell College (3.53)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Cornell College (79.3%)

Cornell College vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell College or ISU? 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 ISU and Cornell College.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell College is higher than Iowa State University (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $8,300 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $45,400)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $3,132 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($23,868 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 74%)

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