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ISU Alabama IU Purdue University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UL Lafayette UNI Wisconsin Florida State Tulane LA Tech- Louisiana Tech- Tech| University of Iowa | Louisiana State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Iowa | LSU | ||
| Location | Iowa City, IA | Baton Rouge, LA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 30,015 | 37,348 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #224 | #367 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uiowa.edu | lsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Iowa | LSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,711 | $8,038 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,674 | $8,038 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,476 | $13,956 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,587 | $21,296 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,959 | $12,374 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 82% | 98% |
Admission |
Iowa | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,729 | 38,853 | ||
| Admitted | 22,128 | 29,419 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 75.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.4% | 25.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.77 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 23/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1130/1340 | 1140/1320 | ||
| 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 | May 1, 2025 | Jul 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Iowa | LSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Iowa | LSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 60% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,800 | $56,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 67% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,616 | $20,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $223 | $216 |
Diversity |
Iowa | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 44% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 12% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
Iowa | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 54% | 65% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 34% | ||
Campus |
Iowa | LSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Louisiana State University is larger than than Iowa based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 30,015 students)
Iowa vs. LSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Iowa or LSU?
- University of Iowa is 8.4% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($8,711.00 vs. $8,038.00)
- Out of state tuition is 281.6% higher at Iowa than Louisiana State University ($30,674.00 vs. $8,038.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than LSU ($19,587 vs. $21,296)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 21.6% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($11,476 vs. $13,956)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of Iowa (98% vs. 82%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 24.2% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($12,374 vs. $9,959)
Iowa vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Iowa or LSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between LSU or Iowa .
- The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 1 points higher than at LSU (1163)
- Incoming Iowa students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at LSU (26)
- Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at LSU (3.77)
- Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than LSU (75.7%)
Iowa vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Iowa or LSU? 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 LSU and Iowa.
- The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Louisiana State University (71% vs. 60%)
- Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $2,900 more per year than LSU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $56,900)
- Louisiana State University students graduate with a $716 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,900 vs. $21,616)
- LSU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($216 vs. $223)
- More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/