ISU vs. WLC

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

ISU WLC
Location Ames, IA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 1,086
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #532
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU WLC
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $33,210
Room & Board $9,358 $11,380
Avg Net Price $15,310 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

ISU WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 1,474
Admitted 19,776 1,383
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 93.8%
Enrolled % 29% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/27
SAT Range 1090/1350 1038/1243
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 WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU WLC
Graduation Rate 68% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

ISU WLC
% Men 55% 44%
% Women 45% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 83%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU WLC
% In-State 52% 66%
% Out-of-State 45% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 1,086 students)

ISU vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 282.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32% higher at WLC than Iowa State University ($33,210.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than WLC ($15,310 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 21.6% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($9,358 vs. $11,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 109.4% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($23,128 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 41 points higher than at WLC (1101)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WLC (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than ISU (90.2%)

ISU vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $10,700 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $43,000)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $1,132 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($23,868 vs. $25,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than WLC graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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