ISU vs. MCAD

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

 ISU MCAD
Location Ames, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 821
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU MCAD
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $42,110
Room & Board $9,358 $7,290
Avg Net Price $15,310 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 ISU MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 668
Admitted 19,776 380
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 56.9%
Enrolled % 29% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 19/27
SAT Range 1090/1350 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 ISU MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 ISU MCAD
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $246 $266

Diversity

 ISU MCAD
% Men 55% 31%
% Women 45% 69%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 59%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 16%

Students

 ISU MCAD
% In-State 52% 61%
% Out-of-State 45% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 821 students)

ISU vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or MCAD?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 385.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($42,110.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.4% higher at MCAD than Iowa State University ($42,110.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than MCAD ($15,310 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 28.4% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($7,290 vs. $9,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 135.7% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($26,025 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 46 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than MCAD (56.9%)

ISU vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Iowa State University (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $12,200 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $41,500)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $1,882 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($23,868 vs. $25,750)
  • ISU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($246 vs. $266)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 74%)

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