ISU vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth

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

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
Location Ames, IA Duluth, MN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 9,675
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #527
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $12,638
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $18,028
Room & Board $9,358 $9,638
Avg Net Price $15,310 $18,031
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $7,345
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 84%

Admission

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 9,512
Admitted 19,776 7,676
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 80.7%
Enrolled % 29% 25.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/28
SAT Range 1090/1350 1120/1350
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 1, 2025

Academics

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
Graduation Rate 68% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
% Men 55% 50%
% Women 45% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 86%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
% In-State 52% 84%
% Out-of-State 45% 16%

Campus

ISU University of Minnesota-Duluth
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 University of Minnesota-Duluth based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 9,675 students)

ISU vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or University of Minnesota-Duluth?

  • University of Minnesota Duluth is 45.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,638.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.6% higher at ISU than University of Minnesota Duluth ($25,162.00 vs. $18,028.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than University of Minnesota-Duluth ($15,310 vs. $18,031)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 3% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Duluth ($9,358 vs. $9,638)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Duluth than Iowa State University (84% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 50.3% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Duluth ($11,043 vs. $7,345)

ISU vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 33 points higher than at University of Minnesota-Duluth (1109)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (3.51)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than University of Minnesota-Duluth (80.7%)

ISU vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or University of Minnesota-Duluth? 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 University of Minnesota-Duluth and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Minnesota Duluth (68% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $200 more per year than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $53,500)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $1,132 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($23,868 vs. $25,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More University of Minnesota-Duluth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 74%)

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