ISU vs. UC

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

ISU UC
Location Ames, IA Cincinnati, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 41,155
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #413
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu uc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU UC
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $11,498
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $26,862
Room & Board $9,358 $12,852
Avg Net Price $15,310 $20,149
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $8,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 64%

Admission

ISU UC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 29,025
Admitted 19,776 25,024
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 86.2%
Enrolled % 29% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 24/29
SAT Range 1090/1350 1160/1360
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

ISU UC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

ISU UC
Graduation Rate 68% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $45,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $237

Diversity

ISU UC
% Men 55% 46%
% Women 45% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 75%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

ISU UC
% In-State 52% 78%
% Out-of-State 45% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (41,155 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. UC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UC?

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is 32.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,498.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at UC than Iowa State University ($26,862.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UC ($15,310 vs. $20,149)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 37.3% lower than costs at University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($9,358 vs. $12,852)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (80% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 26.5% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($11,043 vs. $8,733)

ISU vs. UC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Cincinnati Main Campus (1165) is 23 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming UC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UC (3.69)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UC (86.2%)

ISU vs. UC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (68% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $8,100 more per year than UC graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $45,600)
  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus students graduate with a $868 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,868)
  • UC graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($237 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 57%)

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