ISU vs. University at Albany- SUNY

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

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
Location Ames, IA Albany, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 16,658
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #242
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu albany.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $24,910
Room & Board $9,358 $15,598
Avg Net Price $15,310 $17,714
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $11,485
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 95%

Admission

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 25,976
Admitted 19,776 17,639
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 67.9%
Enrolled % 29% 15%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 22/31
SAT Range 1090/1350 1120/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
Graduation Rate 68% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $55,800
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $21,065
Median Loan Payment $246 $217

Diversity

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
% Men 55% 43%
% Women 45% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 49%
% Black 3% 16%
% Hispanic 5% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
% In-State 52% 92%
% Out-of-State 45% 4%

Campus

 ISU University at Albany- SUNY
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 University at Albany- SUNY based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 16,658 students)

ISU vs. University at Albany- SUNY Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or University at Albany- SUNY?

  • Iowa State University is 22.7% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1% higher at ISU than SUNY at Albany ($25,162.00 vs. $24,910.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than University at Albany- SUNY ($15,310 vs. $17,714)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 66.7% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($9,358 vs. $15,598)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Iowa State University (95% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 4% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,485 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. University at Albany- SUNY Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 51 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than University at Albany- SUNY (67.9%)

ISU vs. University at Albany- SUNY Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or University at Albany- SUNY? 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 University at Albany- SUNY and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than SUNY at Albany (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $2,100 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $53,700)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $2,803 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,065 vs. $23,868)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($217 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University at Albany- SUNY students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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