ISU vs. UofSC

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

ISU UofSC
Location Ames, IA Columbia, SC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,969 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU UofSC
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $33,528
Room & Board $9,358 $11,780
Avg Net Price $15,310 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 98%

Admission

ISU UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 42,188
Admitted 19,776 27,022
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 64.1%
Enrolled % 29% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 27/32
SAT Range 1090/1350 1180/1380
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 Dec 1, 2023

Academics

ISU UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

ISU UofSC
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $246 $240

Diversity

ISU UofSC
% Men 55% 42%
% Women 45% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU UofSC
% In-State 52% 52%
% Out-of-State 45% 47%

Campus

ISU UofSC
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

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 41.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.2% higher at UofSC than Iowa State University ($33,528.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UofSC ($15,310 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 25.9% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Columbia ($9,358 vs. $11,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Iowa State University (98% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 60.5% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($11,043 vs. $6,880)

ISU vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 78 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UofSC (64.1%)

ISU vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than Iowa State University (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $51,700)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $618 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,868)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($240 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC 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/