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Iowa UCSC San Diego State UC Merced UCI UCSD San Jose State Michigan State ASU Purdue Nebraska UIC| University of California Riverside | Iowa State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
| Location | Riverside, CA | Ames, IA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,426 | 30,177 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #265 | #351 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucr.edu | iastate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $8,982 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $26,168 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,433 | $9,726 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,533 | $17,354 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,566 | $10,718 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 70% | 77% |
Admission |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 62,807 | 22,995 | ||
| Admitted | 39,758 | 20,496 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 63.3% | 89.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.9% | 28.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.84 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/31 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1280 | 1110/1350 | ||
| 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, 2025 |
Academics |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 67% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,200 | $53,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,109 | $23,868 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $197 | $246 |
Diversity |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 13% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 36% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 4% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
UC Riverside | ISU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 52% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 45% | ||
Campus |
UC Riverside | 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
- Iowa State University is larger than than UC Riverside based on total student enrollment (30,177 students vs. 26,426 students)
UC Riverside vs. ISU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or ISU?
- University of California Riverside is 31.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $8,982.00)
- Out of state tuition is 62.8% higher at UC Riverside than Iowa State University ($42,611.00 vs. $26,168.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than ISU ($13,533 vs. $17,354)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 99.8% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($9,726 vs. $19,433)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of California Riverside (77% vs. 70%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 101.2% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($21,566 vs. $10,718)
UC Riverside vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UC Riverside or ISU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ISU or UC Riverside .
- The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 23 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
- Incoming UC Riverside students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (25)
- Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at ISU (3.7)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than UC Riverside (63.3%)
UC Riverside vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UC Riverside 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 UC Riverside.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of California Riverside (68% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $1,500 more per year than UC Riverside graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $52,200)
- University of California Riverside students graduate with a $4,759 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($19,109 vs. $23,868)
- UC Riverside graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($197 vs. $246)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside 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/