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Iowa UT Dallas UNT Texas Tech UT Arlington UT Austin UTSA Michigan State Purdue Texas A&M Nebraska UIC| Iowa State University | University of Houston | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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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/