Illinois vs. ISU

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or Iowa State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois 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 Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. Iowa State University comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Iowa State University College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Iowa State University
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Overview

 Illinois ISU
Location Champaign, IL Ames, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,916 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois ISU
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $25,162
Room & Board $12,720 $9,358
Avg Net Price $14,544 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 80%

Admission

 Illinois ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 21,919
Admitted 28,354 19,776
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 90.2%
Enrolled % 28.1% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34 21/28
SAT Range 1320/1510 1090/1350
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 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 Illinois ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 Illinois ISU
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $211 $246

Diversity

 Illinois ISU
% Men 54% 55%
% Women 46% 45%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 76%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 Illinois ISU
% In-State 71% 52%
% Out-of-State 11% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 29,969 students)

Illinois vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or ISU?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 43.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21% higher at Illinois than Iowa State University ($30,446.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than ISU ($14,544 vs. $15,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 35.9% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($9,358 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (80% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 49.9% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($16,552 vs. $11,043)

Illinois vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 163 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Iowa State University (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $12,800 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $3,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,868)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($211 vs. $246)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

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