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Iowa K-State Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU UT Dallas| Iowa State University | University of Kansas | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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/