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Iowa Colorado State Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC UW Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU| Iowa State University | Montana State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | MSU | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Bozeman, MT | ||
| Setting | Small City | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 29,969 | 16,681 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #352 | #590 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | montana.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | MSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,678 | $5,824 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,162 | $27,391 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,358 | $11,300 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,310 | $17,250 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,043 | $5,749 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 100% |
Admission |
ISU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,919 | 28,794 | ||
| Admitted | 19,776 | 21,116 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 73.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29% | 17.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.5 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 20/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1350 | 1070/1290 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
ISU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | MSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 51% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $45,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 71% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $24,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $248 |
Diversity |
ISU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 52% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 48% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 86% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 35% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 65% | ||
Campus |
ISU | MSU | ||
| 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
- Iowa State University is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 16,681 students)
ISU vs. MSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or MSU?
- Iowa State University is 49% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $5,824.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.9% higher at MSU than Iowa State University ($27,391.00 vs. $25,162.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than MSU ($15,310 vs. $17,250)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 20.8% lower than costs at Montana State University ($9,358 vs. $11,300)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 92.1% larger than aid received Montana State University ($11,043 vs. $5,749)
ISU vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or MSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between MSU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 11 points higher than at MSU (1131)
- Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at MSU (25)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at MSU (3.5)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than MSU (73.3%)
ISU vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or MSU? 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 MSU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Montana State University (68% vs. 51%)
- Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $7,900 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $45,800)
- Iowa State University students graduate with a $132 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($23,868 vs. $24,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($246 vs. $248)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 71%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/