ISU vs. University of St Thomas

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

ISU University of St Thomas
Location Ames, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 29,969 9,025
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #179
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu stthomas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU University of St Thomas
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $48,930
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $48,930
Room & Board $9,358 $12,587
Avg Net Price $15,310 $30,137
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $32,284
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 96%

Admission

ISU University of St Thomas
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 9,481
Admitted 19,776 7,300
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 77%
Enrolled % 29% 21.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 24/29
SAT Range 1090/1350 1200/1390
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 University of St Thomas
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

ISU University of St Thomas
Graduation Rate 68% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $62,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $268

Diversity

ISU University of St Thomas
% Men 55% 49%
% Women 45% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 81%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

ISU University of St Thomas
% In-State 52% 78%
% Out-of-State 45% 18%

Campus

ISU University of St Thomas
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 University of St Thomas based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 9,025 students)

ISU vs. University of St Thomas Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or University of St Thomas?

  • University of St Thomas is 463.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($48,930.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.5% higher at University of St Thomas than Iowa State University ($48,930.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than University of St Thomas ($15,310 vs. $30,137)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 34.5% lower than costs at University of St Thomas ($9,358 vs. $12,587)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of St Thomas than Iowa State University (96% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of St Thomas students is 192.3% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($32,284 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. University of St Thomas Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of St Thomas (1202) is 60 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming University of St Thomas students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at University of St Thomas (3.63)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than University of St Thomas (77%)

ISU vs. University of St Thomas Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or University of St Thomas? 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 University of St Thomas and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at University of St Thomas is higher than Iowa State University (74% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of St Thomas earn on average $8,300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($62,000 vs. $53,700)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $2,132 lower median federal student loan debt than University of St Thomas graduates. ($23,868 vs. $26,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than University of St Thomas graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
  • More University of St Thomas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 74%)

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