ISU vs. OSU

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

 ISU OSU
Location Ames, IA Corvallis, OR
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 34,292
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #363
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu oregonstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU OSU
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $10,425
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $31,200
Room & Board $9,358 $14,238
Avg Net Price $15,310 $21,163
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $9,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 88%

Admission

 ISU OSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 25,651
Admitted 19,776 21,169
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 82.5%
Enrolled % 29% 21.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1350 1120/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 ISU OSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (6%)

Outcomes

 ISU OSU
Graduation Rate 68% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $53,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $242

Diversity

 ISU OSU
% Men 55% 51%
% Women 45% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 67%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 5% 9%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 ISU OSU
% In-State 52% 57%
% Out-of-State 45% 41%

Campus

 ISU OSU
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

  • Oregon State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (34,292 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. OSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or OSU?

  • Oregon State University is 20.1% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,425.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24% higher at OSU than Iowa State University ($31,200.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than OSU ($15,310 vs. $21,163)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 52.1% lower than costs at Oregon State University ($9,358 vs. $14,238)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oregon State University than Iowa State University (88% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 19.3% larger than aid received Oregon State University ($11,043 vs. $9,260)

ISU vs. OSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 29 points higher than at OSU (1113)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at OSU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at OSU (3.61)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than OSU (82.5%)

ISU vs. OSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Oregon State University (68% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Oregon State University earn on average $200 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($53,900 vs. $53,700)
  • Oregon State University students graduate with a $368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $23,868)
  • OSU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($242 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)

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