Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
ISU Northern Illinois Illinois IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI Wisconsin UIC DePaul Miami| Illinois State University | University of Iowa | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Iowa | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Iowa City, IA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 30,015 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #224 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | uiowa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Iowa | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $8,711 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $30,674 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $11,476 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $19,587 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $9,959 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 82% |
Admission |
ISU | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 25,729 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 22,128 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 86% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 23.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1130/1340 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2024 | May 1, 2024 |
Academics |
ISU | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 16:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
ISU | Iowa | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $59,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $21,616 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $223 |
Diversity |
ISU | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 67% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 12% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 4% |
Students |
ISU | Iowa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 45% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Iowa | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Iowa is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 20,683 students)
ISU vs. Iowa Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Iowa?
- Illinois State University is 35.9% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $8,711.00)
- Out of state tuition is 29.5% higher at Iowa than Illinois State University ($30,674.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than ISU ($19,587 vs. $20,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 8.2% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,602 vs. $11,476)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than University of Iowa (97% vs. 82%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 16.7% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($11,619 vs. $9,959)
ISU vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Iowa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Iowa or ISU .
- The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 74 points higher than at ISU (1090)
- Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (24)
- Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Iowa (86%)
ISU vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Iowa? 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 Iowa and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is the same as at University of Iowa (71% vs. 71%)
- Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $10,800 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $49,000)
- University of Iowa students graduate with a $384 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,000)
- Iowa graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($223 vs. $227)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/