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ISU IU Purdue K-State University of Missouri-Columbia Nebraska UNI Wisconsin Illinois Miami Minnesota Michigan State| University of Iowa | University of Kansas | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Iowa | KU | ||
| Location | Iowa City, IA | Lawrence, KS | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,015 | 26,708 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #224 | #252 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uiowa.edu | ku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Iowa | KU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,711 | $10,092 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,674 | $26,960 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,476 | $10,136 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,587 | $18,950 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,959 | $11,140 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 82% | 87% |
Admission |
Iowa | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,729 | 16,204 | ||
| Admitted | 22,128 | 14,234 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 87.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.4% | 31.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1130/1340 | 1090/1340 | ||
| 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 | Aug 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Iowa | KU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Iowa | KU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 61% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,800 | $54,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,616 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $223 | $211 |
Diversity |
Iowa | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 44% | 45% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 55% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 12% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
Iowa | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 54% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 39% | ||
Campus |
Iowa | KU | ||
| 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 KU based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 26,708 students)
Iowa vs. KU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Iowa or KU?
- University of Kansas is 15.9% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($10,092.00 vs. $8,711.00)
- Out of state tuition is 13.8% higher at Iowa than University of Kansas ($30,674.00 vs. $26,960.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than Iowa ($18,950 vs. $19,587)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 13.2% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,136 vs. $11,476)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than University of Iowa (87% vs. 82%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 11.9% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($11,140 vs. $9,959)
Iowa vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Iowa or KU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KU or Iowa .
- The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 19 points higher than at KU (1145)
- Incoming Iowa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at KU (25)
- Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at KU (3.66)
- KU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Iowa (86%)
Iowa vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Iowa or KU? 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 KU and Iowa.
- The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Kansas (71% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $5,200 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $54,600)
- University of Kansas students graduate with a $1,116 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,616)
- KU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($211 vs. $223)
- More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/