ISU vs. UIU

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

 ISU UIU
Location Ames, IA Fayette, IA
Setting Small City Remote Rural
Enrollment 29,969 3,072
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #737
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu uiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU UIU
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $32,589
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $32,589
Room & Board $9,358 $9,644
Avg Net Price $15,310 $24,563
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $25,788
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 ISU UIU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 1,405
Admitted 19,776 762
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 54.2%
Enrolled % 29% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.34
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1090/1350 890/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 ISU UIU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 ISU UIU
Graduation Rate 68% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $248

Diversity

 ISU UIU
% Men 55% 41%
% Women 45% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 66%
% Black 3% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

 ISU UIU
% In-State 52% 49%
% Out-of-State 45% 48%

Campus

 ISU UIU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than UIU based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 3,072 students)

ISU vs. UIU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or UIU?

  • Upper Iowa University is 275.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($32,589.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.5% higher at UIU than Iowa State University ($32,589.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than UIU ($15,310 vs. $24,563)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 3.1% lower than costs at Upper Iowa University ($9,358 vs. $9,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Upper Iowa University students is 133.5% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($25,788 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. UIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 212 points higher than at UIU (930)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UIU (20)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UIU (3.34)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UIU (54.2%)

ISU vs. UIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Upper Iowa University (68% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $11,600 more per year than UIU graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $42,100)
  • Iowa State University students graduate with a $132 lower median federal student loan debt than UIU graduates. ($23,868 vs. $24,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UIU graduates. ($246 vs. $248)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 50%)

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