Iowa vs. USD

Should I go to University of Iowa or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or USD 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

ISU IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI Wisconsin Illinois Miami Minnesota Michigan State South Dakota State University
University of Iowa vs. University of South Dakota comparison
University of Iowa University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
University of Iowa University of South Dakota
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Iowa USD
Location Iowa City, IA Vermillion, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,015 9,856
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa USD
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $11,283
Room & Board $11,476 $8,224
Avg Net Price $19,587 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 79%

Admission

Iowa USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 4,480
Admitted 22,128 4,456
Acceptance Rate 86% 99.5%
Enrolled % 23.4% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 19/25
SAT Range 1130/1340 1020/1300
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 USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa USD
Graduation Rate 71% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $258

Diversity

Iowa USD
% Men 44% 37%
% Women 56% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 85%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Iowa USD
% In-State 54% 54%
% Out-of-State 45% 43%

Campus

Iowa USD
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 USD based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 9,856 students)

Iowa vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or USD?

  • University of Iowa is 12.1% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 171.9% higher at Iowa than University of South Dakota ($30,674.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Iowa ($18,378 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 39.5% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($8,224 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of South Dakota (82% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 57.9% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($9,959 vs. $6,308)

Iowa vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 115 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Iowa (86%)

Iowa vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of South Dakota (71% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $11,600 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $48,200)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $3,384 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($21,616 vs. $25,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($223 vs. $258)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 70%)

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