Iowa vs. MSU

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

Iowa MSU
Location Iowa City, IA Bozeman, MT
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 30,015 16,681
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #590
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu montana.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa MSU
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $5,824
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $27,391
Room & Board $11,476 $11,300
Avg Net Price $19,587 $17,250
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $5,749
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

Iowa MSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 28,794
Admitted 22,128 21,116
Acceptance Rate 86% 73.3%
Enrolled % 23.4% 17.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 20/27
SAT Range 1130/1340 1070/1290
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

Academics

Iowa MSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Iowa MSU
Graduation Rate 71% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $45,800
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $248

Diversity

Iowa MSU
% Men 44% 52%
% Women 56% 48%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 86%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Iowa MSU
% In-State 54% 35%
% Out-of-State 45% 65%

Campus

Iowa MSU
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

  • University of Iowa is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 16,681 students)

Iowa vs. MSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or MSU?

  • University of Iowa is 49.6% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $5,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12% higher at Iowa than Montana State University ($30,674.00 vs. $27,391.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University than Iowa ($17,250 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University are 1.6% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($11,300 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than University of Iowa (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 73.2% larger than aid received Montana State University ($9,959 vs. $5,749)

Iowa vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 33 points higher than at MSU (1131)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at MSU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at MSU (3.5)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than MSU (73.3%)

Iowa vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Montana State University (71% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $14,000 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $45,800)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $2,384 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($21,616 vs. $24,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($223 vs. $248)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 70%)

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