KU vs. IU

Should I go to University of Kansas or Indiana University Bloomington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KU or IU 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 Kansas vs. Indiana University Bloomington comparison
University of Kansas Indiana University Bloomington College 3 College 4
University of Kansas Indiana University Bloomington
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Overview

 KU IU
Location Lawrence, KS Bloomington, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 28,406 47,527
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #209
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KU IU
Tuition (In State) $10,596 $10,312
Tuition (Out of State) $28,308 $39,004
Room & Board $10,818 $13,380
Avg Net Price $18,322 $16,282
Avg Grant Aid $10,644 $9,857
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 74%

Admission

 KU IU
Applied 19,226 54,279
Admitted 16,958 43,624
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 80.4%
Enrolled % 31% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 27/32
SAT Range 1050/1290 1170/1400
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 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 KU IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 KU IU
Graduation Rate 61% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $232

Diversity

 KU IU
% Men 11% 12%
% Women 16% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 71%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 KU IU
% In-State 55% 54%
% Out-of-State 43% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 28,406 students)

KU vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or IU?

  • University of Kansas is 2.8% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($10,596.00 vs. $10,312.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.8% higher at IU than University of Kansas ($39,004.00 vs. $28,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than KU ($16,282 vs. $18,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 23.7% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($10,818 vs. $13,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than Indiana University Bloomington (89% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 8% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($10,644 vs. $9,857)

KU vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 54 points higher than at KU (1145)
  • Incoming IU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at KU (25)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at KU (3.66)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than IU (80.4%)

KU vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KU or IU? 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 IU and KU.

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than University of Kansas (72% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $1,600 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $54,600)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,500)
  • KU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 66%)

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