IU vs. KU

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

 IU KU
Location Bloomington, IN Lawrence, KS
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 47,005 26,708
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #200 #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU KU
Tuition (In State) $10,012 $10,092
Tuition (Out of State) $37,685 $26,960
Room & Board $12,228 $10,136
Avg Net Price $16,234 $18,950
Avg Grant Aid $10,336 $11,140
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 87%

Admission

 IU KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,080 16,204
Admitted 41,272 14,234
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 87.8%
Enrolled % 23.6% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 21/28
SAT Range 1180/1400 1090/1340
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 Aug 15, 2024

Academics

 IU KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 IU KU
Graduation Rate 72% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $211

Diversity

 IU KU
% Men 51% 45%
% Women 49% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 72%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 IU KU
% In-State 51% 58%
% Out-of-State 42% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 26,708 students)

IU vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or KU?

  • University of Kansas is 0.8% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($10,092.00 vs. $10,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.8% higher at IU than University of Kansas ($37,685.00 vs. $26,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than KU ($16,234 vs. $18,950)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 20.6% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($10,136 vs. $12,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than Indiana University Bloomington (87% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 7.8% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($11,140 vs. $10,336)

IU vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 54 points higher than at KU (1145)
  • Incoming IU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at KU (25)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at KU (3.66)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than IU (82.4%)

IU vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than University of Kansas (72% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $1,600 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $54,600)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,500)
  • KU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 66%)

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