IU vs. ISU

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

 IU ISU
Location Bloomington, IN Ames, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 47,005 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #200 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU ISU
Tuition (In State) $10,012 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $37,685 $25,162
Room & Board $12,228 $9,358
Avg Net Price $16,234 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $10,336 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 80%

Admission

 IU ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,080 21,919
Admitted 41,272 19,776
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 90.2%
Enrolled % 23.6% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 21/28
SAT Range 1180/1400 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

Academics

 IU ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 IU ISU
Graduation Rate 72% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $232 $246

Diversity

 IU ISU
% Men 51% 55%
% Women 49% 45%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 IU ISU
% In-State 51% 52%
% Out-of-State 42% 45%

Campus

 IU 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

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 29,969 students)

IU vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or ISU?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 15.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,012.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.8% higher at IU than Iowa State University ($37,685.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than IU ($15,310 vs. $16,234)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 30.7% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($9,358 vs. $12,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Indiana University Bloomington (80% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 6.8% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($11,043 vs. $10,336)

IU vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 57 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming IU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than IU (82.4%)

IU vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU 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 IU.

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than Iowa State University (72% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $2,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $53,700)
  • Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $1,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,868)
  • IU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($232 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 72%)

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