ISU vs. Rutgers

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

 ISU Rutgers
Location Ames, IA New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 50,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $30,600
Room & Board $9,358 $13,909
Avg Net Price $15,310 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 57%

Admission

 ISU Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 41,654
Admitted 19,776 27,612
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 66.3%
Enrolled % 29% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 28/33
SAT Range 1090/1350 1270/1480
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

Academics

 ISU Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 ISU Rutgers
Graduation Rate 68% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $246 $229

Diversity

 ISU Rutgers
% Men 55% 46%
% Women 45% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 42%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 ISU Rutgers
% In-State 52% 85%
% Out-of-State 45% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Rutgers?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 48.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.6% higher at Rutgers than Iowa State University ($30,600.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Rutgers ($15,310 vs. $17,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 48.6% lower than costs at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($9,358 vs. $13,909)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Rutgers University New Brunswick (80% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 15.8% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($12,785 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1225) is 83 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Rutgers (66.3%)

ISU vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than Iowa State University (77% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $12,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $53,700)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $1,653 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,215 vs. $23,868)
  • Rutgers graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($229 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 68%)

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