Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Iowa Tennessee Louisville Michigan State Purdue IU Nebraska UIC Minnesota UC UNI Auburn| Iowa State University | University of Kentucky | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Lexington, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 29,969 | 31,547 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #352 | #408 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | uky.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,678 | $11,496 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,162 | $30,913 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,358 | $14,676 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,310 | $18,693 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,043 | $14,114 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 94% |
Admission |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,919 | 22,109 | ||
| Admitted | 19,776 | 20,979 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 94.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29% | 28.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.59 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1350 | 1070/1290 | ||
| 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 15, 2024 |
Academics |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 59% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $51,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 62% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $22,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $235 |
Diversity |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 37% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Kentucky | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Kentucky is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 29,969 students)
ISU vs. Kentucky Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Kentucky?
- University of Kentucky is 32.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $8,678.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.9% higher at Kentucky than Iowa State University ($30,913.00 vs. $25,162.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Kentucky ($15,310 vs. $18,693)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 56.8% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($9,358 vs. $14,676)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Iowa State University (94% vs. 80%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 27.8% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($14,114 vs. $11,043)
ISU vs. Kentucky Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Kentucky? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Kentucky or ISU .
- The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 1 points higher than at ISU (1142)
- Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Kentucky (25)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
- Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than ISU (90.2%)
ISU vs. Kentucky Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Kentucky? 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 Kentucky and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Kentucky (68% vs. 59%)
- Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $2,700 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $51,000)
- University of Kentucky students graduate with a $1,118 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,868)
- Kentucky graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($235 vs. $246)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 62%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/