ISU vs. NC State

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

 ISU NC State
Location Ames, IA Raleigh, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU NC State
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $28,276
Room & Board $9,358 $12,748
Avg Net Price $15,310 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 71%

Admission

 ISU NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 35,568
Admitted 19,776 16,779
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 47.2%
Enrolled % 29% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 28/33
SAT Range 1090/1350 1280/1460
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 ISU NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 ISU NC State
Graduation Rate 68% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $246 $214

Diversity

 ISU NC State
% Men 55% 51%
% Women 45% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 74%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 ISU NC State
% In-State 52% 83%
% Out-of-State 45% 14%

Campus

 ISU NC State
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

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or NC State?

  • Iowa State University is 32.8% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.4% higher at NC State than Iowa State University ($28,276.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than ISU ($14,852 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 36.2% lower than costs at North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($9,358 vs. $12,748)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (80% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 20.3% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($11,043 vs. $9,181)

ISU vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 122 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than NC State (47.2%)

ISU vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or NC State? 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 NC State and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at NC State is higher than Iowa State University (72% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn on average $3,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($57,200 vs. $53,700)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $3,086 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,782 vs. $23,868)
  • NC State graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($214 vs. $246)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 74%)

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