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Iowa Minnesota Michigan Illinois Ohio State UW-Seattle Purdue Maryland UT Austin Michigan State Nebraska UIC| Iowa State University | University of Wisconsin Madison | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
| Location | Ames, IA | Madison, WI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 29,969 | 48,956 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #352 | #105 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iastate.edu | wisc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,678 | $9,273 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,162 | $37,904 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,358 | $12,894 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,310 | $13,376 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,043 | $11,171 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 47% |
Admission |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,919 | 60,214 | ||
| Admitted | 19,776 | 29,539 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.2% | 49.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29% | 29.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.88 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 26/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1350 | 1340/1510 | ||
| 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 | Wisconsin | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $64,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,868 | $22,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $230 |
Diversity |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 52% | 43% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 47% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Wisconsin | ||
| 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
- University of Wisconsin Madison is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 29,969 students)
ISU vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Wisconsin?
- University of Wisconsin Madison is 6.9% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($9,273.00 vs. $8,678.00)
- Out of state tuition is 50.6% higher at Wisconsin than Iowa State University ($37,904.00 vs. $25,162.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than ISU ($13,376 vs. $15,310)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 37.8% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($9,358 vs. $12,894)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of Wisconsin Madison (80% vs. 47%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wisconsin Madison students is 1.2% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,171 vs. $11,043)
ISU vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Wisconsin? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wisconsin or ISU .
- The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 158 points higher than at ISU (1142)
- Incoming Wisconsin students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
- Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at ISU (3.7)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Wisconsin (49.1%)
ISU vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin and ISU.
- The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than Iowa State University (82% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $11,100 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $53,700)
- University of Wisconsin Madison students graduate with a $1,618 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,250 vs. $23,868)
- Wisconsin graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($230 vs. $246)
- More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/