ISU vs. UNCW

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

 ISU UNCW
Location Ames, IA Wilmington, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,177 17,987
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #351 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU UNCW
Tuition (In State) $8,982 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $26,168 $20,111
Room & Board $9,726 $12,605
Avg Net Price $17,354 $18,606
Avg Grant Aid $10,718 $6,516
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 54%

Admission

 ISU UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,995 17,370
Admitted 20,496 12,856
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 74%
Enrolled % 28.6% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 24/28
SAT Range 1110/1350 1220/1360
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 ISU UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 ISU UNCW
Graduation Rate 68% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $211

Diversity

 ISU UNCW
% Men 8% 5%
% Women 8% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 78%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

 ISU UNCW
% In-State 52% 77%
% Out-of-State 45% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (30,177 students vs. 17,987 students)

ISU vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UNCW?

  • Iowa State University is 102.2% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($8,982.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.1% higher at ISU than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($26,168.00 vs. $20,111.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UNCW ($17,354 vs. $18,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 29.6% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($9,726 vs. $12,605)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (77% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 64.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($10,718 vs. $6,516)

ISU vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 20 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than UNCW (74%)

ISU vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (68% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $9,000 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $3,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,868)
  • UNCW 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 UNCW students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 64%)

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