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 30,177 28,406
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #351 #291
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU KU
Tuition (In State) $8,982 $10,596
Tuition (Out of State) $26,168 $28,308
Room & Board $9,726 $10,818
Avg Net Price $17,354 $18,322
Avg Grant Aid $10,718 $10,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 89%

Admission

 ISU KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,995 19,226
Admitted 20,496 16,958
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 88.2%
Enrolled % 28.6% 31%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/27
SAT Range 1110/1350 1050/1290
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, 2026

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 8% 11%
% Women 8% 16%
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% 55%
% Out-of-State 45% 43%

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 (30,177 students vs. 28,406 students)

ISU vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or KU?

  • University of Kansas is 18% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,596.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at KU than Iowa State University ($28,308.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than KU ($17,354 vs. $18,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 11.2% lower than costs at University of Kansas ($9,726 vs. $10,818)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than Iowa State University (89% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 0.7% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($10,718 vs. $10,644)

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 (89.1%) than KU (88.2%)

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/