ISU vs. UB

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

 ISU UB
Location Ames, IA Buffalo, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,177 31,889
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #351 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu buffalo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU UB
Tuition (In State) $8,982 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $26,168 $26,860
Room & Board $9,726 $16,754
Avg Net Price $17,354 $20,511
Avg Grant Aid $10,718 $9,996
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 74%

Admission

 ISU UB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,995 38,210
Admitted 20,496 26,481
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 69.3%
Enrolled % 28.6% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 27/32
SAT Range 1110/1350 1210/1380
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

Academics

 ISU UB
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 ISU UB
Graduation Rate 68% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $201

Diversity

 ISU UB
% Men 8% 17%
% Women 8% 19%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 48%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 16%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

 ISU UB
% In-State 52% 88%
% Out-of-State 45% 3%

Campus

 ISU UB
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

  • University at Buffalo is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (31,889 students vs. 30,177 students)

ISU vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UB?

  • Iowa State University is 27% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($8,982.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.6% higher at UB than Iowa State University ($26,860.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UB ($17,354 vs. $20,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 72.3% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($9,726 vs. $16,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University at Buffalo (77% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 7.2% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,718 vs. $9,996)

ISU vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University at Buffalo (1173) is 31 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming UB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than UB (69.3%)

ISU vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UB is higher than Iowa State University (71% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $4,700 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $53,700)
  • University at Buffalo students graduate with a $4,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,868)
  • UB graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($201 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB 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/