Iowa State vs UIdaho

Iowa State University and University of Idaho, both public land-grant research universities, offer distinct educational experiences. Iowa State, located in Ames, Iowa, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to University of Idaho's 80% in Moscow, Idaho. While Iowa State excels in STEM fields, with popular majors like engineering, computer science, and agriculture, University of Idaho shines in forestry, wildlife resources, and education. Iowa State's larger student body comprises more out-of-state students, while University of Idaho fosters a closer community feel with a higher percentage of in-state students. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with Iowa State at 79% and University of Idaho at 77%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Iowa State University logo

Iowa State University

University of Idaho logo

University of Idaho

Overview

Location Ames, Iowa Moscow, Idaho
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
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% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.1% 81.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1083 - 1330 990 - 1220
ACT range 21 - 28 20 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 13.0% 65.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0% 14.0%
Total number of applicants 20,357 9,814
Total number of admissions given out 18,550 7,987
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,387 1,656
Yield rate 29.0% 20.7%
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: $22,254

Out of state: $41,490
Average net price $15,422 $15,435
Tuition
In state: $8,324

Out of state: $24,136
In state: $6,182

Out of state: $25,418
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,590

Meal plan: $4,498
$9,610
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

87.0%
Average amount $8,833
97.0%
Average amount $12,208
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,202
42.0%
Average amount $4,946
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $11,630
3.0%
Average amount $12,339

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 25,808
Men 56.1% Women 43.9%
8,631
Men 47.7% Women 52.3%
Graduate students 4,900
Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
2,672
Men 49.6% Women 50.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 33.2%
International students 8.2% 4.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 9,400 2,310
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Idaho Washington California Oregon Nevada

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Business
  • Architecture
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 76.0% 59.2%
Dropout rate 6.1% 17.6%
Transferred out 16.7% 21.7%
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
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,891
  • Year 2: $74,576
  • Year 3: $82,601
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,060
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $79,227
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,101
  • Year 2: $68,499
  • Year 3: $73,393
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,687
  • Year 2: $59,982
  • Year 3: $72,836
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,491
  • Year 2: $50,439
  • Year 3: $66,706
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,504
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $66,017
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,842
  • Year 2: $59,640
  • Year 3: $64,996
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,539
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $62,271
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,424
  • Year 2: $53,131
  • Year 3: $60,120
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $44,933
  • Year 3: $56,902

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