CSU vs. Iowa

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

CSU Iowa
Location Chicago, IL Iowa City, IA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 2,317 30,015
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870 #224
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU Iowa
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $8,711
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $30,674
Room & Board $13,800 $11,476
Avg Net Price $6,446 $19,587
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $9,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 82%

Admission

CSU Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 25,729
Admitted 3,592 22,128
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 86%
Enrolled % 4.8% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.81
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 22/28
SAT Range 750/963 1130/1340
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, 2025

Academics

CSU Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

CSU Iowa
Graduation Rate 21% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $323 $223

Diversity

CSU Iowa
% Men 33% 44%
% Women 67% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 3% 67%
% Black 75% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 12%
% Unknown Race 12% 4%

Students

CSU Iowa
% In-State 77% 54%
% Out-of-State 20% 45%

Campus

CSU 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

  • University of Iowa is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 2,317 students)

CSU vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Iowa?

  • University of Iowa is 13.8% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 300.7% higher at Iowa than Chicago State University ($30,674.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than Iowa ($6,446 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 20.3% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($11,476 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chicago State University than University of Iowa (93% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 59.6% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($15,891 vs. $9,959)

CSU vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 289 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at CSU (3.18)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Chicago State University (71% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $21,500 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $38,300)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $9,634 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($21,616 vs. $31,250)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $100 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($223 vs. $323)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 25%)

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