IIT vs. ISU

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

 IIT ISU
Location Chicago, IL Ames, IA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 8,563 30,177
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #270 #351
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iit.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IIT ISU
Tuition (In State) $49,643 $8,982
Tuition (Out of State) $49,643 $26,168
Room & Board $16,528 $9,726
Avg Net Price $25,001 $17,354
Avg Grant Aid $43,437 $10,718
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 77%

Admission

 IIT ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,912 22,995
Admitted 4,939 20,496
Acceptance Rate 55.4% 89.1%
Enrolled % 10.8% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 21/28
SAT Range 1180/1410 1110/1350
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 IIT ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 IIT ISU
Graduation Rate 64% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,300 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $279 $246

Diversity

 IIT ISU
% Men 37% 8%
% Women 24% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 76%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 16% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 26% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 IIT ISU
% In-State 60% 52%
% Out-of-State 29% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than IIT based on total student enrollment (30,177 students vs. 8,563 students)

IIT vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or ISU?

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is 452.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($49,643.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 89.7% higher at IIT than Iowa State University ($49,643.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than IIT ($17,354 vs. $25,001)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 69.9% lower than costs at Illinois Institute of Technology ($9,726 vs. $16,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than Iowa State University (100% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 305.3% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($43,437 vs. $10,718)

IIT vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Institute of Technology (1251) is 109 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming IIT students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than IIT (55.4%)

IIT vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IIT 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 IIT.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $25,600 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $53,700)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $3,132 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($23,868 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More IIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 74%)

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