Iowa vs. USD

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

Iowa USD
Location Iowa City, IA Vermillion, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,042 9,868
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #576
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa USD
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $11,283
Room & Board $12,616 $9,060
Avg Net Price $20,121 $18,466
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $5,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 81%

Admission

Iowa USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 5,349
Admitted 21,746 5,293
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 99%
Enrolled % 23.3% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 19/25
SAT Range 1130/1320 1110/1330
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

Academics

Iowa USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa USD
Graduation Rate 71% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $223 $258

Diversity

Iowa USD
% Men 12% 12%
% Women 14% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 85%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Iowa USD
% In-State 52% 53%
% Out-of-State 46% 41%

Campus

Iowa USD
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

  • University of Iowa is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 9,868 students)

Iowa vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or USD?

  • University of Iowa is 16% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($9,016.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 174.6% higher at Iowa than University of South Dakota ($30,979.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Iowa ($18,466 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 39.2% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($9,060 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Dakota than University of Iowa (81% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 70.5% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($9,512 vs. $5,580)

Iowa vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 115 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than Iowa (84.7%)

Iowa vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of South Dakota (71% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $11,600 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $48,200)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $3,384 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($21,616 vs. $25,000)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($223 vs. $258)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 70%)

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