Iowa vs. NDSU

Should I go to University of Iowa or North Dakota State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or NDSU 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 Iowa vs. North Dakota State University Main Campus comparison
University of Iowa North Dakota State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Iowa North Dakota State University Main Campus
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Overview

 Iowa NDSU
Location Iowa City, IA Fargo, ND
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,042 11,952
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #591
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu ndsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa NDSU
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $9,309
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $13,963
Room & Board $12,616 $9,565
Avg Net Price $20,121 $16,461
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $5,841
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 78%

Admission

 Iowa NDSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 7,331
Admitted 21,746 7,024
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 95.8%
Enrolled % 23.3% 31.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 19/25
SAT Range 1130/1320 968/1216
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, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Iowa NDSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Iowa NDSU
Graduation Rate 71% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $53,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $23,300
Median Loan Payment $223 $240

Diversity

 Iowa NDSU
% Men 12% 9%
% Women 14% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 86%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Iowa NDSU
% In-State 52% 35%
% Out-of-State 46% 65%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than NDSU based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 11,952 students)

Iowa vs. NDSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or NDSU?

  • North Dakota State University Main Campus is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($9,309.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 121.9% higher at Iowa than North Dakota State University Main Campus ($30,979.00 vs. $13,963.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Dakota State University Main Campus than Iowa ($16,461 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Dakota State University Main Campus are 31.9% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($9,565 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Dakota State University Main Campus than University of Iowa (78% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 62.8% larger than aid received North Dakota State University Main Campus ($9,512 vs. $5,841)

Iowa vs. NDSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 73 points higher than at NDSU (1091)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at NDSU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at NDSU (3.53)
  • NDSU has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Iowa (84.7%)

Iowa vs. NDSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa or NDSU? 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 NDSU and Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than North Dakota State University Main Campus (71% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $6,200 more per year than NDSU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $53,600)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $1,684 lower median federal student loan debt than NDSU graduates. ($21,616 vs. $23,300)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than NDSU graduates. ($223 vs. $240)
  • More NDSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 70%)

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