University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) vs Iowa State

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant college towns of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Ames, Iowa, home to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) and Iowa State University (ISU), respectively. While both institutions offer a wealth of opportunities, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your academic journey. UWEC boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students, while ISU's selectivity might appeal to those seeking a more competitive environment. Explore the nuances of their popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates in the comprehensive comparison table below, and discover which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.
Iowa State University logo

Iowa State University

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire logo

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Overview

Location Ames, Iowa Eau Claire, Wisconsin
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% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.1% 77.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $56
SAT range 1083 - 1330 N/A
ACT range 21 - 28 21 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0% 63.0%
Total number of applicants 20,357 9,420
Total number of admissions given out 18,550 7,297
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,387 2,253
Yield rate 29.0% 30.9%
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: $21,212

Out of state: $29,487
Average net price $15,422 $15,713
Tuition
In state: $8,324

Out of state: $24,136
In state: $7,361

Out of state: $15,636
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,590

Meal plan: $4,498
Room/dormitory: $5,170

Meal plan: $3,180
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

87.0%
Average amount $8,833
68.0%
Average amount $3,571
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,202
50.0%
Average amount $4,893
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $11,630
14.0%
Average amount $10,302

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 25,808
Men 56.1% Women 43.9%
9,869
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Graduate students 4,900
Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
700
Men 44.4% Women 55.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 37.8%
International students 8.2% 2.0%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 9,400 3,997
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Wisconsin Minnesota Illinois Iowa Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 76.0% 68.0%
Dropout rate 6.1% 31.0%
Transferred out 16.7% N/A
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,967
  • Year 2: $113,187
  • Year 3: $117,029
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,679
  • Year 2: $85,206
  • Year 3: $85,974
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,957
  • Year 2: $69,867
  • Year 3: $79,199
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,259
  • Year 2: $61,350
  • Year 3: $67,416
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,481
  • Year 2: $58,796
  • Year 3: $66,353
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,517
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $63,910
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,270
  • Year 2: $54,359
  • Year 3: $60,286
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,707
  • Year 2: $53,045
  • Year 3: $57,099
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,583
  • Year 2: $45,435
  • Year 3: $53,917
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,825
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $53,128

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