ISU vs. Simpson College

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

ISU Simpson College
Location Ames, IA Indianola, IA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 29,969 1,151
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #412
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $44,202
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $44,202
Room & Board $9,358 $9,654
Avg Net Price $15,310 $23,185
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $35,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

ISU Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 1,569
Admitted 19,776 1,398
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 89.1%
Enrolled % 29% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/27
SAT Range 1090/1350 890/1280
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 15, 2025

Academics

ISU Simpson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Simpson College
Graduation Rate 68% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

ISU Simpson College
% Men 55% 48%
% Women 45% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 88%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 7% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

ISU Simpson College
% In-State 52% 67%
% Out-of-State 45% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 1,151 students)

ISU vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Simpson College?

  • Simpson College is 409.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.7% higher at Simpson College than Iowa State University ($44,202.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Simpson College ($15,310 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 3.2% lower than costs at Simpson College ($9,358 vs. $9,654)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 225.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($35,898 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 38 points higher than at Simpson College (1104)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Simpson College (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Simpson College (3.62)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Simpson College (89.1%)

ISU vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Simpson College? 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 Simpson College and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Iowa State University (69% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $5,700 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $48,000)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $3,132 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($23,868 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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