U of A vs. ISU

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

U of A ISU
Location Tucson, AZ Ames, IA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 53,001 30,177
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #269 #351
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arizona.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

U of A ISU
Tuition (In State) $11,871 $8,982
Tuition (Out of State) $39,340 $26,168
Room & Board $14,400 $9,726
Avg Net Price $18,144 $17,354
Avg Grant Aid $16,511 $10,718
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 77%

Admission

U of A ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,466 22,995
Admitted 48,369 20,496
Acceptance Rate 85.7% 89.1%
Enrolled % 18.9% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/30 21/28
SAT Range 1160/1420 1110/1350
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

Academics

U of A ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

U of A ISU
Graduation Rate 61% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,000 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $196 $246

Diversity

U of A ISU
% Men 10% 8%
% Women 11% 8%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 76%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 25% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

U of A ISU
% In-State 50% 52%
% Out-of-State 44% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arizona is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (53,001 students vs. 30,177 students)

U of A vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, U of A or ISU?

  • University of Arizona is 32.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,871.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.3% higher at U of A than Iowa State University ($39,340.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than U of A ($17,354 vs. $18,144)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 48.1% lower than costs at University of Arizona ($9,726 vs. $14,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than Iowa State University (97% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arizona students is 54% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($16,511 vs. $10,718)

U of A vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at U of A (3.48)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than U of A (85.7%)

U of A vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, U of A or ISU? 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 ISU and U of A.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Arizona (68% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from University of Arizona earn on average $300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Arizona students graduate with a $4,868 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $23,868)
  • U of A graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($196 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of A students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)

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