ISU vs. Tennessee

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

ISU Tennessee
Location Ames, IA Knoxville, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,969 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $29,522
Room & Board $9,358 $12,150
Avg Net Price $15,310 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 88%

Admission

ISU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 36,290
Admitted 19,776 24,826
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 68.4%
Enrolled % 29% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 25/31
SAT Range 1090/1350 1170/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

ISU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

ISU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 68% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $206

Diversity

ISU Tennessee
% Men 55% 45%
% Women 45% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 79%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

ISU Tennessee
% In-State 52% 54%
% Out-of-State 45% 45%

Campus

ISU Tennessee
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

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 30.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at Tennessee than Iowa State University ($29,522.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Tennessee ($15,310 vs. $21,880)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 29.8% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($9,358 vs. $12,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee than Iowa State University (88% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 4.2% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($11,043 vs. $10,593)

ISU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 72 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Tennessee (68.4%)

ISU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than The University of Tennessee (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $2,600 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $53,700)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $3,868 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,868)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($206 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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