Florida State vs. ISU

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

Florida State ISU
Location Tallahassee, FL Ames, IA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 44,161 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida State ISU
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $25,162
Room & Board $11,592 $9,358
Avg Net Price $14,003 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $10,169 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 80%

Admission

Florida State ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 78,088 21,919
Admitted 19,552 19,776
Acceptance Rate 25% 90.2%
Enrolled % 30.9% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/31 21/28
SAT Range 1210/1370 1090/1350
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Florida State ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Florida State ISU
Graduation Rate 74% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $214 $246

Diversity

Florida State ISU
% Men 42% 55%
% Women 58% 45%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 76%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Florida State ISU
% In-State 85% 52%
% Out-of-State 14% 45%

Campus

Florida State ISU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Florida State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 29,969 students)

Florida State vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida State or ISU?

  • Iowa State University is 115.8% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.1% higher at ISU than Florida State University ($25,162.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than ISU ($14,003 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 23.9% lower than costs at Florida State University ($9,358 vs. $11,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than Iowa State University (89% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 8.6% larger than aid received Florida State University ($11,043 vs. $10,169)

Florida State vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 73 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Florida State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have at the same average high school GPA (3.7) as students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Florida State (25%)

Florida State vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State or ISU? 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 ISU and Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than Iowa State University (74% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $2,300 more per year than Florida State graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $51,400)
  • Florida State University students graduate with a $3,118 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,750 vs. $23,868)
  • Florida State graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($214 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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