ISU vs. Nebraska

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

ISU Nebraska
Location Ames, IA Lincoln, NE
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 23,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #306
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu unl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Nebraska
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $7,770
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $24,900
Room & Board $9,358 $12,430
Avg Net Price $15,310 $16,805
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $10,941
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 91%

Admission

ISU Nebraska
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 19,102
Admitted 19,776 15,022
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 78.6%
Enrolled % 29% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/28
SAT Range 1090/1350 1110/1340
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

ISU Nebraska
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Agriculture (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Nebraska
Graduation Rate 68% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $21,700
Median Loan Payment $246 $224

Diversity

ISU Nebraska
% Men 55% 50%
% Women 45% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

ISU Nebraska
% In-State 52% 73%
% Out-of-State 45% 25%

Campus

ISU Nebraska
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Nebraska based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 23,805 students)

ISU vs. Nebraska Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Nebraska?

  • Iowa State University is 11.7% more expensive to attend than Nebraska for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $7,770.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at ISU than University of Nebraska Lincoln ($25,162.00 vs. $24,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Nebraska ($15,310 vs. $16,805)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 32.8% lower than costs at University of Nebraska Lincoln ($9,358 vs. $12,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska Lincoln than Iowa State University (91% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 0.9% larger than aid received University of Nebraska Lincoln ($11,043 vs. $10,941)

ISU vs. Nebraska Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska Lincoln (1145) is 3 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Nebraska (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Nebraska (3.63)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Nebraska (78.6%)

ISU vs. Nebraska Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Nebraska Lincoln (68% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $4,100 more per year than Nebraska graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $49,600)
  • University of Nebraska Lincoln students graduate with a $2,168 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,700 vs. $23,868)
  • Nebraska graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($224 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Nebraska students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)

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