ISU vs. NDSU

Should I go to Iowa State University or North Dakota State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or NDSU 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 Dakota State University Main Campus comparison
Iowa State University North Dakota State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Iowa State University North Dakota State University Main Campus
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Overview

ISU NDSU
Location Ames, IA Fargo, ND
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,969 12,242
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #568
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu ndsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU NDSU
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $9,309
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $13,963
Room & Board $9,358 $9,300
Avg Net Price $15,310 $15,962
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $5,732
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 77%

Admission

ISU NDSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 8,535
Admitted 19,776 8,166
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 95.7%
Enrolled % 29% 30.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/25
SAT Range 1090/1350 968/1216
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

ISU NDSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU NDSU
Graduation Rate 68% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $53,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,300
Median Loan Payment $246 $240

Diversity

ISU NDSU
% Men 55% 49%
% Women 45% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 86%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

ISU NDSU
% In-State 52% 35%
% Out-of-State 45% 65%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than NDSU based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 12,242 students)

ISU vs. NDSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or NDSU?

  • North Dakota State University Main Campus is 7.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($9,309.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.2% higher at ISU than North Dakota State University Main Campus ($25,162.00 vs. $13,963.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than NDSU ($15,310 vs. $15,962)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Dakota State University Main Campus are 0.6% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($9,300 vs. $9,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than North Dakota State University Main Campus (80% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 92.7% larger than aid received North Dakota State University Main Campus ($11,043 vs. $5,732)

ISU vs. NDSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 51 points higher than at NDSU (1091)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NDSU (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at NDSU (3.53)
  • NDSU has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than ISU (90.2%)

ISU vs. NDSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than North Dakota State University Main Campus (68% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $100 more per year than NDSU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $53,600)
  • North Dakota State University Main Campus students graduate with a $568 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,300 vs. $23,868)
  • NDSU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($240 vs. $246)
  • More NDSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 74%)

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