ISU vs. MLC

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

 ISU MLC
Location Ames, IA New Ulm, MN
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 29,969 880
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu mlc-wels.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU MLC
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $17,420
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $17,420
Room & Board $9,358 $6,880
Avg Net Price $15,310 $22,293
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $6,301
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 99%

Admission

 ISU MLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 215
Admitted 19,776 180
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 83.7%
Enrolled % 29% 78.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/27
SAT Range 1090/1350 1051/1316
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

 ISU MLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Education (67%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (33%)

Outcomes

 ISU MLC
Graduation Rate 68% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $38,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $246 $239

Diversity

 ISU MLC
% Men 55% 47%
% Women 45% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 93%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 5% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 ISU MLC
% In-State 52% 20%
% Out-of-State 45% 78%

Campus

 ISU MLC
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 MLC based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 880 students)

ISU vs. MLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or MLC?

  • Martin Luther College is 100.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($17,420.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.4% higher at ISU than Martin Luther College ($25,162.00 vs. $17,420.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than MLC ($15,310 vs. $22,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Martin Luther College are 36% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($6,880 vs. $9,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Martin Luther College than Iowa State University (99% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 75.3% larger than aid received Martin Luther College ($11,043 vs. $6,301)

ISU vs. MLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Martin Luther College (1145) is 3 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at MLC (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at MLC (3.56)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than MLC (83.7%)

ISU vs. MLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MLC is higher than Iowa State University (73% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $15,700 more per year than MLC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $38,000)
  • Martin Luther College students graduate with a $743 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,125 vs. $23,868)
  • MLC graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($239 vs. $246)
  • More MLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 74%)

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