ISU vs. UH

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

ISU UH
Location Ames, IA Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 46,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #452
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu uh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU UH
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $8,685
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $20,877
Room & Board $9,358 $10,418
Avg Net Price $15,310 $14,056
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $11,457
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 75%

Admission

ISU UH
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 29,783
Admitted 19,776 19,728
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 66.2%
Enrolled % 29% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.46
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 23/29
SAT Range 1090/1350 1160/1330
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 May 31, 2025

Academics

ISU UH
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

ISU UH
Graduation Rate 68% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $246 $204

Diversity

ISU UH
% Men 55% 48%
% Women 45% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 26%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 32%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU UH
% In-State 52% 93%
% Out-of-State 45% 3%

Campus

ISU UH
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 Houston is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (46,700 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. UH Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UH?

  • University of Houston is 0.1% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($8,685.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.5% higher at ISU than University of Houston ($25,162.00 vs. $20,877.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than ISU ($14,056 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 11.3% lower than costs at University of Houston ($9,358 vs. $10,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of Houston (80% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston students is 3.7% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,457 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. UH Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Houston (1154) is 12 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming UH students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UH (3.46)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UH (66.2%)

ISU vs. UH Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Houston (68% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Houston earn on average $5,300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Houston students graduate with a $4,118 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $23,868)
  • UH graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($204 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 61%)

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