LSU-A&M vs Iowa State

Louisiana State University (LSU) and Iowa State University (ISU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique characteristics and offerings. LSU, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a public land-grant research university with a vibrant student life and a strong focus on agriculture and engineering. ISU, situated in Ames, Iowa, is also a public land-grant research university known for its exceptional programs in agriculture, engineering, and veterinary medicine. While both universities share similarities in their academic excellence and commitment to research, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover the nuances that set LSU and ISU apart and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Iowa State University	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Overview
Location	Ames, Iowa	Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
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%	83.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.1%	70.9%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50
SAT range	1083 - 1330	1130 - 1320
ACT range	21 - 28	23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%	12.0%
Students submitting ACT score	63.0%	88.0%
Total number of applicants	20,357	36,561
Total number of admissions given out	18,550	25,907
Admitted students who chose to enroll	5,387	7,045
Yield rate	29.0%	27.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	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: $35,810 Out of state: $52,487
Average net price	$15,422	$21,010
Tuition	In state: $8,324 Out of state: $24,136	$8,038
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,590 Meal plan: $4,498	Room/dormitory: $8,720 Meal plan: $4,434
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $8,833	93.0% Average amount $13,235
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $5,202	29.0% Average amount $5,433
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $11,630	4.0% Average amount $19,954

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	25,808 Men 56.1% Women 43.9%	29,273 Men 45.3% Women 54.7%
Graduate students	4,900 Men 50.6% Women 49.4%	6,639 Men 39.7% Women 60.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	32.6%
International students	8.2%	4.2%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	9,400	8,657
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Louisiana Texas Georgia Florida California

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Agriculture Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Business Engineering Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	22:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	76.0%	69.0%
Dropout rate	6.1%	29.0%
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	Veterinary Medicine (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $76,490 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $88,967 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $80,305 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $87,944 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,811 Year 2: $71,402 Year 3: $83,027 Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $75,560 Year 2: $60,099 Year 3: $80,274 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,032 Year 2: $68,965 Year 3: $79,563 Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,541 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: $77,603 International Business (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,643 Year 2: $43,575 Year 3: $69,597 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,301 Year 2: $61,330 Year 3: $68,763 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $53,429 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $67,944 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,915 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $65,757

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