ISU vs. KU

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

ISU KU
Location Ames, IA Lawrence, KS
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 26,708
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU KU
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $10,092
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $26,960
Room & Board $9,358 $10,136
Avg Net Price $15,310 $18,950
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $11,140
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 87%

Admission

ISU KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 16,204
Admitted 19,776 14,234
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 87.8%
Enrolled % 29% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1350 1090/1340
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

ISU KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

ISU KU
Graduation Rate 68% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $211

Diversity

ISU KU
% Men 55% 45%
% Women 45% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 72%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU KU
% In-State 52% 58%
% Out-of-State 45% 39%

Campus

ISU KU
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

  • Iowa State University is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 26,708 students)

ISU vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or KU?

  • University of Kansas is 16.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,092.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.1% higher at KU than Iowa State University ($26,960.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than KU ($15,310 vs. $18,950)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 8.3% lower than costs at University of Kansas ($9,358 vs. $10,136)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than Iowa State University (87% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 0.9% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,140 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 3 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at KU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at KU (3.66)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than KU (87.8%)

ISU vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Kansas (68% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $900 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $3,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,868)
  • KU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($211 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)

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