ISU vs. BLC

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

 ISU BLC
Location Ames, IA Mankato, MN
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 29,969 830
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352
Religious Affiliation - Other (none of the above) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu blc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU BLC
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $28,330
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $28,330
Room & Board $9,358 $8,270
Avg Net Price $15,310 $18,525
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $20,705
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 ISU BLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 665
Admitted 19,776 389
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 58.5%
Enrolled % 29% 45.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 20/25
SAT Range 1090/1350 990/1290
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 ISU BLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 ISU BLC
Graduation Rate 68% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $246 $240

Diversity

 ISU BLC
% Men 55% 48%
% Women 45% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 88%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 ISU BLC
% In-State 52% 59%
% Out-of-State 45% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 830 students)

ISU vs. BLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or BLC?

  • Bethany Lutheran College is 226.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($28,330.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at BLC than Iowa State University ($28,330.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than BLC ($15,310 vs. $18,525)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 13.2% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($8,270 vs. $9,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 87.5% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($20,705 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. BLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 68 points higher than at BLC (1074)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BLC (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at BLC (3.51)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than BLC (58.5%)

ISU vs. BLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or BLC? 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 BLC and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $16,400 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $618 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,868)
  • BLC graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($240 vs. $246)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 74%)

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