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Iowa Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse| Iowa State University | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Penn State | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 29,969 | 50,028 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #352 | #167 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,678 | $18,368 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,162 | $35,946 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,358 | $12,744 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,310 | $26,747 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,043 | $10,066 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 44% |
Admission |
ISU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,919 | 85,784 | ||
| Admitted | 19,776 | 47,360 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 55.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29% | 19.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1350 | 1210/1390 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
ISU | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $277 |
Diversity |
ISU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
ISU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 40% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 29,969 students)
ISU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Penn State?
- Penn State Main Campus is 111.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $8,678.00)
- Out of state tuition is 42.9% higher at Penn State than Iowa State University ($35,946.00 vs. $25,162.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Penn State ($15,310 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 36.2% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($9,358 vs. $12,744)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Penn State Main Campus (80% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 9.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,043 vs. $10,066)
ISU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 60 points higher than at ISU (1142)
- Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Penn State (55.2%)
ISU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Penn 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 Penn State and ISU.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Iowa State University (87% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,600 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,700)
- Iowa State University students graduate with a $2,950 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,868 vs. $26,818)
- ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($246 vs. $277)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/