IU vs. Vanderbilt

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

IU Vanderbilt
Location Bloomington, IN Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 47,527 13,456
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #209 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $10,312 $61,618
Tuition (Out of State) $39,004 $61,618
Room & Board $13,380 $21,054
Avg Net Price $16,282 $26,689
Avg Grant Aid $9,857 $57,723
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 66%

Admission

IU Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,279 45,313
Admitted 43,624 2,844
Acceptance Rate 80.4% 6.3%
Enrolled % 21.9% 57%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 27/32 34/35
SAT Range 1170/1400 1510/1560
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

IU Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

IU Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 72% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $144

Diversity

IU Vanderbilt
% Men 12% 19%
% Women 11% 28%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 55%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

IU Vanderbilt
% In-State 54% 13%
% Out-of-State 41% 75%

Campus

IU Vanderbilt
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 Vanderbilt based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 13,456 students)

IU vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 497.5% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($61,618.00 vs. $10,312.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58% higher at Vanderbilt than Indiana University Bloomington ($61,618.00 vs. $39,004.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Vanderbilt ($16,282 vs. $26,689)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 57.4% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($13,380 vs. $21,054)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than Vanderbilt University (74% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 485.6% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($57,723 vs. $9,857)

IU vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 299 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at IU (3.74)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than Vanderbilt (6.3%)

IU vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU or Vanderbilt? 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 Vanderbilt and IU.

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Indiana University Bloomington (92% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $26,900 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $56,200)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $22,500)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($144 vs. $232)
  • More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 72%)

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