ISU vs. Minnesota

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

ISU Minnesota
Location Ames, IA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 54,955
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #140
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $14,006
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $33,246
Room & Board $9,358 $11,894
Avg Net Price $15,310 $16,018
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $11,388
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 63%

Admission

ISU Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 38,050
Admitted 19,776 28,504
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 74.9%
Enrolled % 29% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 27/32
SAT Range 1090/1350 1290/1500
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

ISU Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Minnesota
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $246 $208

Diversity

ISU Minnesota
% Men 55% 44%
% Women 45% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 70%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 7% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU Minnesota
% In-State 52% 68%
% Out-of-State 45% 26%

Campus

ISU Minnesota
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

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (54,955 students vs. 29,969 students)

ISU vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Minnesota?

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 61.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($14,006.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.1% higher at Minnesota than Iowa State University ($33,246.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Minnesota ($15,310 vs. $16,018)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 27.1% lower than costs at University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($9,358 vs. $11,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (80% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Minnesota Twin Cities students is 3.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,388 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1288) is 146 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Minnesota students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Minnesota students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Minnesota (74.9%)

ISU vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Minnesota is higher than Iowa State University (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Minnesota Twin Cities earn on average $4,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $3,683 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,185 vs. $23,868)
  • Minnesota graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($208 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 74%)

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