ISU vs. ISU

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

ISU ISU
Location Normal, IL Ames, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 20,683 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU ISU
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $25,162
Room & Board $10,602 $9,358
Avg Net Price $20,551 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 80%

Admission

ISU ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 21,919
Admitted 16,899 19,776
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 90.2%
Enrolled % 23.6% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 21/28
SAT Range 1000/1210 1090/1350
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

ISU ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

ISU ISU
Graduation Rate 71% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $227 $246

Diversity

ISU ISU
% Men 42% 55%
% Women 58% 45%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 76%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

ISU ISU
% In-State 96% 52%
% Out-of-State 3% 45%

Campus

ISU 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

  • Iowa State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 36.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at ISU than Illinois State University ($25,162.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than ISU ($15,310 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 13.3% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($9,358 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Iowa State University (97% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 5.2% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,619 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 52 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Iowa State University (71% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $4,700 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $1,868 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,868)
  • ISU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($227 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 74%)

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