Iowa vs. ASU

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

 Iowa ASU
Location Iowa City, IA Tempe, AZ
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,042 79,593
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #384
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu asu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa ASU
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $11,308
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $31,450
Room & Board $12,616 $16,091
Avg Net Price $20,121 $16,401
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $11,992
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 89%

Admission

 Iowa ASU
Applied 25,682 68,840
Admitted 21,746 62,084
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 90.2%
Enrolled % 23.3% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 21/28
SAT Range 1130/1320 1100/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 Iowa ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 Iowa ASU
Graduation Rate 71% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $20,278
Median Loan Payment $223 $209

Diversity

 Iowa ASU
% Men 12% 10%
% Women 14% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 52%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 19%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 12% 12%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Iowa ASU
% In-State 52% 61%
% Out-of-State 46% 32%

Campus

 Iowa ASU
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

  • Arizona State University is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (79,593 students vs. 30,042 students)

Iowa vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or ASU?

  • Arizona State University is 25.4% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($11,308.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at ASU than University of Iowa ($31,450.00 vs. $30,979.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arizona State University than Iowa ($16,401 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 27.5% lower than costs at Arizona State University ($12,616 vs. $16,091)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arizona State University than University of Iowa (89% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arizona State University students is 26.1% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($11,992 vs. $9,512)

Iowa vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 6 points higher than at ASU (1158)
  • Incoming Iowa students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at ASU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at ASU (3.54)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Iowa (84.7%)

Iowa vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or ASU? 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 ASU and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Arizona State University (71% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $7,200 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $52,600)
  • Arizona State University students graduate with a $1,338 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,278 vs. $21,616)
  • ASU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($209 vs. $223)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 57%)

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