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 Michigan State Purdue Minnesota Nebraska UIC UNI Illinois ASU IU UT Dallas NDSU| Iowa State University | University of Minnesota Duluth | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
ISU | University of Minnesota-Duluth | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Duluth, MN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,177 | 9,350 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #351 | #544 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | umn.edu | ||
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Costs |
ISU | University of Minnesota-Duluth | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,982 | $12,766 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,168 | $18,210 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,726 | $10,206 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,354 | $19,542 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,718 | $6,833 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 77% | 90% |
Admission |
ISU | University of Minnesota-Duluth | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,995 | 9,502 | ||
| Admitted | 20,496 | 7,768 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.1% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.6% | 23.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.51 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 23/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1110/1350 | 1128/1335 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | University of Minnesota-Duluth | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 16:1 | ||
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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 | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 5% | ||
| 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% | 85% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 14% | ||
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 |
Which college is more expensive, ISU or University of Minnesota-Duluth?
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 .
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.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/