ISU vs. UNI

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

ISU UNI
Location Ames, IA Cedar Falls, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,969 8,945
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #414
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu uni.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU UNI
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $8,111
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $19,265
Room & Board $9,358 $9,343
Avg Net Price $15,310 $15,782
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $6,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 83%

Admission

ISU UNI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 4,594
Admitted 19,776 4,362
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 94.9%
Enrolled % 29% 32.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/26
SAT Range 1090/1350 1020/1330
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

Academics

ISU UNI
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%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

ISU UNI
Graduation Rate 68% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $47,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $20,625
Median Loan Payment $246 $213

Diversity

ISU UNI
% Men 55% 36%
% Women 45% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 83%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

ISU UNI
% In-State 52% 91%
% Out-of-State 45% 8%

Campus

ISU UNI
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 UNI based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 8,945 students)

ISU vs. UNI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UNI?

  • Iowa State University is 7% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.6% higher at ISU than University of Northern Iowa ($25,162.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UNI ($15,310 vs. $15,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 0.2% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($9,343 vs. $9,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Northern Iowa than Iowa State University (83% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 72.2% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($11,043 vs. $6,412)

ISU vs. UNI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 92 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UNI (3.61)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than ISU (90.2%)

ISU vs. UNI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Northern Iowa (68% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $6,000 more per year than UNI graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $47,700)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $3,243 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,625 vs. $23,868)
  • UNI graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($213 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 72%)

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