ISU vs. Ohio State

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

 ISU Ohio State
Location Ames, IA Columbus, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,177 60,046
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #351 #139
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $8,982 $11,826
Tuition (Out of State) $26,168 $37,332
Room & Board $9,726 $14,272
Avg Net Price $17,354 $19,575
Avg Grant Aid $10,718 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 64%

Admission

 ISU Ohio State
Applied 22,995 70,028
Admitted 20,496 35,588
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 50.8%
Enrolled % 28.6% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 29/32
SAT Range 1110/1350 1330/1480
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, 2026

Academics

 ISU Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 ISU Ohio State
Graduation Rate 68% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $222

Diversity

 ISU Ohio State
% Men 8% 10%
% Women 8% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 71%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

 ISU Ohio State
% In-State 52% 65%
% Out-of-State 45% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (60,046 students vs. 30,177 students)

ISU vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Ohio State?

  • Ohio State University is 31.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,826.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.7% higher at Ohio State than Iowa State University ($37,332.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Ohio State ($17,354 vs. $19,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 46.7% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($9,726 vs. $14,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Ohio State University (77% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University students is 10% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,791 vs. $10,718)

ISU vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio State University (1295) is 153 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Ohio State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Ohio State students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Ohio State (50.8%)

ISU vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Ohio State? 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 Ohio State and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at Ohio State is higher than Iowa State University (80% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $3,100 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $2,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,868)
  • Ohio State 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 Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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