ISU vs. UO

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

ISU UO
Location Ames, IA Eugene, OR
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,969 23,163
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #324
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu uoregon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU UO
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $12,512
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $39,158
Room & Board $9,358 $14,640
Avg Net Price $15,310 $22,077
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $9,767
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 86%

Admission

ISU UO
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 37,154
Admitted 19,776 32,061
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 86.3%
Enrolled % 29% 16.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 24/30
SAT Range 1090/1350 1140/1370
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 15, 2025

Academics

ISU UO
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU UO
Graduation Rate 68% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $21,101
Median Loan Payment $246 $218

Diversity

ISU UO
% Men 55% 44%
% Women 45% 56%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 60%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 7% 14%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU UO
% In-State 52% 43%
% Out-of-State 45% 56%

Campus

ISU UO
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 UO based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 23,163 students)

ISU vs. UO Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UO?

  • University of Oregon is 44.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,512.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.6% higher at UO than Iowa State University ($39,158.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UO ($15,310 vs. $22,077)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 56.4% lower than costs at University of Oregon ($9,358 vs. $14,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Oregon than Iowa State University (86% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 13.1% larger than aid received University of Oregon ($11,043 vs. $9,767)

ISU vs. UO Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 23 points higher than at UO (1119)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at UO (25)
  • Accepted freshman UO students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UO (86.3%)

ISU vs. UO Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Oregon (68% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $4,700 more per year than UO graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $49,000)
  • University of Oregon students graduate with a $2,767 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,101 vs. $23,868)
  • UO graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($218 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UO students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 62%)

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