Iowa vs. LSU

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

Iowa LSU
Location Iowa City, IA Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 30,015 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa LSU
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $8,038
Room & Board $11,476 $13,956
Avg Net Price $19,587 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 98%

Admission

Iowa LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 38,853
Admitted 22,128 29,419
Acceptance Rate 86% 75.7%
Enrolled % 23.4% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 23/28
SAT Range 1130/1340 1140/1320
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 May 1, 2024 Jul 15, 2024

Academics

Iowa LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Iowa LSU
Graduation Rate 71% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $223 $216

Diversity

Iowa LSU
% Men 44% 44%
% Women 56% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 73%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Iowa LSU
% In-State 54% 65%
% Out-of-State 45% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 30,015 students)

Iowa vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or LSU?

  • University of Iowa is 8.4% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 281.6% higher at Iowa than Louisiana State University ($30,674.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than LSU ($19,587 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 21.6% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($11,476 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of Iowa (98% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 24.2% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($12,374 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 1 points higher than at LSU (1163)
  • Incoming Iowa students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at LSU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at LSU (3.77)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than LSU (75.7%)

Iowa vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Louisiana State University (71% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $2,900 more per year than LSU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $56,900)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $716 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,900 vs. $21,616)
  • LSU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($216 vs. $223)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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