ASU vs. Iowa

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

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

Costs

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

Admission

 ASU Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 68,840 25,682
Admitted 62,084 21,746
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 84.7%
Enrolled % 22.7% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/28
SAT Range 1100/1320 1130/1320
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

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

Diversity

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

Students

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

Campus

 ASU Iowa
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

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

ASU vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASU or Iowa?

  • 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)

ASU vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 6 points higher than at ASU (1158)
  • Incoming ASU students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at Iowa (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%)

ASU vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • 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/