Auburn vs. ISU

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

Auburn ISU
Location Auburn University, AL Ames, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 31,764 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #307 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website auburn.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Auburn ISU
Tuition (In State) $10,392 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $31,176 $25,162
Room & Board $14,998 $9,358
Avg Net Price $25,271 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $9,791 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 80%

Admission

Auburn ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,693 21,919
Admitted 19,988 19,776
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 90.2%
Enrolled % 26.5% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 21/28
SAT Range 1220/1380 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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Auburn ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Auburn ISU
Graduation Rate 66% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $222 $246

Diversity

Auburn ISU
% Men 49% 55%
% Women 51% 45%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 76%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Auburn ISU
% In-State 57% 52%
% Out-of-State 41% 45%

Campus

Auburn 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

  • Auburn University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (31,764 students vs. 29,969 students)

Auburn vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Auburn or ISU?

  • Auburn University is 19.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,392.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.9% higher at Auburn than Iowa State University ($31,176.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Auburn ($15,310 vs. $25,271)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 60.3% lower than costs at Auburn University ($9,358 vs. $14,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Auburn University (80% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 12.8% larger than aid received Auburn University ($11,043 vs. $9,791)

Auburn vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Auburn University (1218) is 76 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Auburn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Auburn students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Auburn (43.7%)

Auburn vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Auburn 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 Auburn.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Auburn University (68% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Auburn University earn on average $400 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $53,700)
  • Auburn University students graduate with a $2,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,868)
  • Auburn graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($222 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Auburn students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)

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