IU vs. Mason

Should I go to Indiana University Bloomington or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU or Mason 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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Indiana University Bloomington vs. George Mason University comparison
Indiana University Bloomington George Mason University College 3 College 4
Indiana University Bloomington George Mason University
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Overview

 IU Mason
Location Bloomington, IN Fairfax, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 47,005 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #200 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU Mason
Tuition (In State) $10,012 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $37,685 $35,377
Room & Board $12,228 $13,120
Avg Net Price $16,234 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $10,336 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 74%

Admission

 IU Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,080 20,001
Admitted 41,272 18,001
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 90%
Enrolled % 23.6% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 25/31
SAT Range 1180/1400 1140/1350
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

 IU Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 IU Mason
Graduation Rate 72% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $232 $204

Diversity

 IU Mason
% Men 51% 48%
% Women 49% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 43%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 IU Mason
% In-State 51% 77%
% Out-of-State 42% 17%

Campus

 IU Mason
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

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than Mason based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 39,049 students)

IU vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or Mason?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($10,012.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at IU than George Mason University ($37,685.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Mason ($16,234 vs. $18,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 7.3% lower than costs at George Mason University ($12,228 vs. $13,120)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington as George Mason University (74% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 4.1% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($10,760 vs. $10,336)

IU vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 46 points higher than at Mason (1153)
  • Incoming IU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than IU (82.4%)

IU vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU or Mason? 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 Mason and IU.

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than George Mason University (72% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $5,700 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $56,200)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $22,500)
  • Mason graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($204 vs. $232)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 72%)

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