University of Iowa (UIowa) vs Iowa State

Nestled in the heart of Iowa, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University stand as two distinct pillars of higher education, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence and vibrant campus life. While both institutions share a common state heritage, they diverge in several key aspects, catering to different student preferences and aspirations. Delve into our comprehensive comparison table to discover the nuances that set these universities apart, from their contrasting acceptance rates and popular majors to the diverse student body demographics and distinct graduation outcomes. Whether you seek a research-intensive environment or a focus on hands-on learning, this side-by-side analysis will guide you towards the institution that best aligns with your academic pursuits and personal growth aspirations.

	Iowa State University	University of Iowa
Overview
Location	Ames, Iowa	Iowa City, Iowa
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	88.0%	88.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.1%	86.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1083 - 1330	1130 - 1350
ACT range	21 - 28	22 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%	18.0%
Students submitting ACT score	63.0%	65.0%
Total number of applicants	20,357	22,434
Total number of admissions given out	18,550	19,340
Admitted students who chose to enroll	5,387	4,521
Yield rate	29.0%	23.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $22,152 Out of state: $37,964	In state: $24,686 Out of state: $46,649
Average net price	$15,422	$17,599
Tuition	In state: $8,324 Out of state: $24,136	In state: $8,356 Out of state: $30,319
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,590 Meal plan: $4,498	$11,780
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $8,833	71.0% Average amount $11,007
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $5,202	44.0% Average amount $5,282
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $11,630	10.0% Average amount $16,747

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	25,808 Men 56.1% Women 43.9%	21,608 Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students	4,900 Men 50.6% Women 49.4%	8,301 Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	39.4%
International students	8.2%	5.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	9,400	6,660
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Iowa Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin California

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Agriculture Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Business Health Professions Engineering Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	76.0%	73.7%
Dropout rate	6.1%	7.2%
Transferred out	16.7%	17.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $85,739 Year 2: $94,408 Year 3: $101,292 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $80,956 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $95,081 Industrial Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $99,120 Year 2: $89,059 Year 3: $92,521 Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $77,573 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $85,108 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,299 Year 2: $73,321 Year 3: $83,452 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,598 Year 2: $73,839 Year 3: $83,292 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,184 Year 2: $71,734 Year 3: $81,196 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $83,223 Year 2: $70,680 Year 3: $79,916 Construction Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,580 Year 2: $70,083 Year 3: $77,479 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,534 Year 2: $67,156 Year 3: $76,113	Dentistry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $125,938 Year 2: $134,155 Year 3: $142,171 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $85,649 Year 2: $112,215 Year 3: $121,442 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $95,222 Year 2: $96,991 Year 3: $113,045 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $107,534 Year 2: $103,913 Year 3: $108,049 Public Health (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,863 Year 2: $69,757 Year 3: $81,687 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $61,283 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $81,057 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,973 Year 2: $69,657 Year 3: $80,787 Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,231 Year 2: $71,351 Year 3: $80,592 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,094 Year 2: $65,387 Year 3: $78,583 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,942 Year 2: $64,990 Year 3: $71,106

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