San Diego State vs. ISU

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

San Diego State ISU
Location San Diego, CA Ames, IA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 37,402 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsu.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

San Diego State ISU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $25,162
Room & Board $19,714 $9,358
Avg Net Price $13,017 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 80%

Admission

San Diego State ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 21,919
Admitted 30,331 19,776
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 90.2%
Enrolled % 21.7% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/29 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1300 1090/1350
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

San Diego State ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

San Diego State ISU
Graduation Rate 66% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,349 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $158 $246

Diversity

San Diego State ISU
% Men 42% 55%
% Women 58% 45%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 76%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 31% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

San Diego State ISU
% In-State 77% 52%
% Out-of-State 21% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • San Diego State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 29,969 students)

San Diego State vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or ISU?

  • Iowa State University is 51.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.8% higher at ISU than San Diego State University ($25,162.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than ISU ($13,017 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 110.7% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($9,358 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than San Diego State University (80% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 11.2% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($11,043 vs. $9,934)

San Diego State vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 12 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
  • Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

San Diego State vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, San Diego State or ISU? 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 ISU and San Diego State.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than San Diego State University (68% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $300 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $53,400)
  • San Diego State University students graduate with a $8,519 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $23,868)
  • San Diego State graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($158 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 65%)

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