ISU vs. LSU

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

ISU LSU
Location Ames, IA Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 29,969 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU LSU
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $8,038
Room & Board $9,358 $13,956
Avg Net Price $15,310 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 98%

Admission

ISU LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 38,853
Admitted 19,776 29,419
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 75.7%
Enrolled % 29% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1350 1140/1320
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 15, 2025

Academics

ISU LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

ISU LSU
Graduation Rate 68% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $246 $216

Diversity

ISU LSU
% Men 55% 44%
% Women 45% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 73%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

ISU LSU
% In-State 52% 65%
% Out-of-State 45% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or LSU?

  • Iowa State University is 8% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 213% higher at ISU than Louisiana State University ($25,162.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than LSU ($15,310 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 49.1% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($9,358 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than Iowa State University (98% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 12.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($12,374 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 21 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than LSU (75.7%)

ISU vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Louisiana State University (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $3,200 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $53,700)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $2,968 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,900 vs. $23,868)
  • LSU graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($216 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 67%)

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