ASU vs. ISU

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

ASU ISU
Location Tempe, AZ Ames, IA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 80,065 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #389 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website asu.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ASU ISU
Tuition (In State) $10,978 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $29,952 $25,162
Room & Board $14,718 $9,358
Avg Net Price $14,808 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $12,381 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 80%

Admission

ASU ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 68,789 21,919
Admitted 61,739 19,776
Acceptance Rate 89.8% 90.2%
Enrolled % 24.5% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/28
SAT Range 1100/1320 1090/1350
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

ASU ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

ASU ISU
Graduation Rate 57% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,600 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,278 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $209 $246

Diversity

ASU ISU
% Men 52% 55%
% Women 48% 45%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 76%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 12% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

ASU ISU
% In-State 57% 52%
% Out-of-State 36% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Arizona State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (80,065 students vs. 29,969 students)

ASU vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASU or ISU?

  • Arizona State University is 26.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,978.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19% higher at ASU than Iowa State University ($29,952.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arizona State University than ISU ($14,808 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 57.3% lower than costs at Arizona State University ($9,358 vs. $14,718)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arizona State University than Iowa State University (89% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arizona State University students is 12.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($12,381 vs. $11,043)

ASU vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Arizona State University (1158) is 16 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at ASU (3.54)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than ASU (89.8%)

ASU vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ASU 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 ASU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Arizona State University (68% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $1,100 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $52,600)
  • Arizona State University students graduate with a $3,590 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,278 vs. $23,868)
  • ASU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($209 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 57%)

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