Saint Ambrose University vs Iowa State

Saint Ambrose University and Iowa State University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to prospective students. Saint Ambrose, a private Catholic university, boasts a smaller student body and a higher acceptance rate compared to Iowa State, a large public research university. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, Saint Ambrose is known for its strong liberal arts and business programs, while Iowa State excels in STEM fields and agriculture. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, including student demographics, graduation rates, and cost of attendance, to determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Iowa State University logo

Iowa State University

Saint Ambrose University logo

Saint Ambrose University

Overview

Location Ames, Iowa Davenport, Iowa
Campus setting City: Small City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
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 Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.1% 72.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1083 - 1330 1030 - 1190
ACT range 21 - 28 20 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 13.0% 21.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0% 34.0%
Total number of applicants 20,357 4,005
Total number of admissions given out 18,550 2,900
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,387 493
Yield rate 29.0% 17.0%
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
$51,924
Average net price $15,422 $24,844
Tuition
In state: $8,324

Out of state: $24,136
$33,290
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,590

Meal plan: $4,498
Room/dormitory: $7,196

Meal plan: $4,442
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

87.0%
Average amount $8,833
100.0%
Average amount $22,790
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,202
70.0%
Average amount $5,278
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $11,630
18.0%
Average amount $14,015

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 25,808
Men 56.1% Women 43.9%
2,228
Men 45.3% Women 54.7%
Graduate students 4,900
Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
685
Men 27.7% Women 72.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 63.9%
International students 8.2% 2.0%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 9,400 1,688
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Illinois Iowa California Missouri Indiana

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 76.0% 64.4%
Dropout rate 6.1% 15.9%
Transferred out 16.7% 19.7%
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,289
  • Year 2: $78,657
  • Year 3: $82,825
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,136
  • Year 2: $66,287
  • Year 3: $68,203
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,519
  • Year 2: $49,019
  • Year 3: $66,569
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,077
  • Year 2: $59,377
  • Year 3: $61,530
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,766
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: $54,838
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,000
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $54,578
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,715
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $54,557
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,428
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $53,324
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,216
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $52,751
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,037
  • Year 2: $31,133
  • Year 3: $52,398

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