ISU vs. Wisconsin

Should I go to Iowa State University or University of Wisconsin Madison? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or Wisconsin 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Iowa Minnesota Michigan Illinois Ohio State UW-Seattle Purdue Maryland UT Austin Michigan State Nebraska UIC
Iowa State University vs. University of Wisconsin Madison comparison
Iowa State University University of Wisconsin Madison College 3 College 4
Iowa State University University of Wisconsin Madison
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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

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/