USAFA vs. ISU

Should I go to United States Air Force Academy or Iowa State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USAFA 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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United States Air Force Academy vs. Iowa State University comparison
United States Air Force Academy Iowa State University College 3 College 4
United States Air Force Academy Iowa State University
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Overview

USAFA ISU
Location USAFA, Colorado Ames, IA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 4,085 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usafa.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USAFA ISU
Tuition (In State) $0 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $0 $25,162
Room & Board $0 $9,358
Avg Net Price - $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $0 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 80%

Admission

USAFA ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,353 21,919
Admitted 1,356 19,776
Acceptance Rate 16.2% 90.2%
Enrolled % 77.9% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 28/33 21/28
SAT Range 1310/1480 1090/1350
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 31, 2023

Academics

USAFA ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (35%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

USAFA ISU
Graduation Rate - 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments - 74%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $23,868
Median Loan Payment N/A $246

Diversity

USAFA ISU
% Men 71% 55%
% Women 29% 45%
Racial Diversity - Low
HBCU No No
% White 0% 76%
% Black 0% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

USAFA ISU
% In-State 5% 52%
% Out-of-State 93% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than USAFA based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 4,085 students)

USAFA vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USAFA or ISU?

  • Iowa State University is ?% more expensive to attend than USAFA for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $0.00)
  • Out of state tuition is ?% higher at ISU than United States Air Force Academy ($25,162.00 vs. $0.00)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than United States Air Force Academy (80% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is ?% larger than aid received United States Air Force Academy ($11,043 vs. $0)

USAFA vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman USAFA students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than USAFA (16.2%)

USAFA vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USAFA 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 USAFA.

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