ISU vs. MSOE

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

 ISU MSOE
Location Ames, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 2,729
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #243
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu msoe.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU MSOE
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $44,601
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $44,601
Room & Board $9,358 $12,494
Avg Net Price $15,310 $25,661
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $31,850
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 ISU MSOE
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 5,478
Admitted 19,776 3,477
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 63.5%
Enrolled % 29% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 24/30
SAT Range 1090/1350 1160/1405
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Sep 1, 2023

Academics

 ISU MSOE
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Engineering (66%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Communication (1%)

Outcomes

 ISU MSOE
Graduation Rate 68% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $68,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

 ISU MSOE
% Men 55% 71%
% Women 45% 29%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 66%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 13%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

 ISU MSOE
% In-State 52% 58%
% Out-of-State 45% 38%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than MSOE based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 2,729 students)

ISU vs. MSOE Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or MSOE?

  • Milwaukee School of Engineering is 414% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($44,601.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.3% higher at MSOE than Iowa State University ($44,601.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than MSOE ($15,310 vs. $25,661)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 33.5% lower than costs at Milwaukee School of Engineering ($9,358 vs. $12,494)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milwaukee School of Engineering than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milwaukee School of Engineering students is 188.4% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($31,850 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. MSOE Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Milwaukee School of Engineering (1248) is 106 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming MSOE students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at MSOE (3.65)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than MSOE (63.5%)

ISU vs. MSOE Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or MSOE? 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 MSOE and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Milwaukee School of Engineering (68% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Milwaukee School of Engineering earn on average $15,200 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($68,900 vs. $53,700)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $3,132 lower median federal student loan debt than MSOE graduates. ($23,868 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than MSOE graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More MSOE graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 74%)

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