Iowa vs. KU

Should I go to University of Iowa or University of Kansas? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa or KU 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. University of Kansas comparison
University of Iowa University of Kansas College 3 College 4
University of Iowa University of Kansas
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Overview

 Iowa KU
Location Iowa City, IA Lawrence, KS
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 30,042 28,406
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #291
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa KU
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $10,596
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $28,308
Room & Board $12,616 $10,818
Avg Net Price $20,121 $18,322
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $10,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 89%

Admission

 Iowa KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 19,226
Admitted 21,746 16,958
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 88.2%
Enrolled % 23.3% 31%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 21/27
SAT Range 1130/1320 1050/1290
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Iowa KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

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 12% 11%
% Women 14% 16%
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 52% 55%
% Out-of-State 46% 43%

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 (30,042 students vs. 28,406 students)

Iowa vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or KU?

  • University of Kansas is 17.5% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($10,596.00 vs. $9,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.4% higher at Iowa than University of Kansas ($30,979.00 vs. $28,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than Iowa ($18,322 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 16.6% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,818 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than University of Iowa (89% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 11.9% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($10,644 vs. $9,512)

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 (88.2%) than Iowa (84.7%)

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/