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Iowa Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU UT Dallas NDSU| Iowa State University | University of South Dakota | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | USD | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Vermillion, SD | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 29,969 | 9,856 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #352 | #597 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | usd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | USD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,678 | $7,773 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,162 | $11,283 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,358 | $8,224 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,310 | $18,378 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,043 | $6,308 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 79% |
Admission |
ISU | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,919 | 4,480 | ||
| Admitted | 19,776 | 4,456 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 99.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29% | 29.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.43 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1350 | 1020/1300 | ||
| 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 | USD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | USD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 47% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $48,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $258 |
Diversity |
ISU | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 85% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
ISU | USD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 43% | ||
Campus |
ISU | USD | ||
| 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
- Iowa State University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 9,856 students)
ISU vs. USD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or USD?
- Iowa State University is 11.6% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $7,773.00)
- Out of state tuition is 123% higher at ISU than University of South Dakota ($25,162.00 vs. $11,283.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than USD ($15,310 vs. $18,378)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 13.8% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($8,224 vs. $9,358)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of South Dakota (80% vs. 79%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 75.1% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($11,043 vs. $6,308)
ISU vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or USD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USD or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 93 points higher than at USD (1049)
- Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USD (23)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at USD (3.43)
- USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than ISU (90.2%)
ISU vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or USD? 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 USD and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of South Dakota (68% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $5,500 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,200)
- Iowa State University students graduate with a $1,132 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($23,868 vs. $25,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/