Berkeley vs Iowa State

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant intellectual hub of University of California-Berkeley, renowned for its rigorous academics and cutting-edge research, or thriving in the welcoming and supportive environment of Iowa State University, known for its strong focus on agriculture and engineering. As you embark on your higher education journey, understanding the distinct characteristics of these two esteemed institutions is crucial. Delve into our comprehensive comparison table to uncover the nuances that set them apart, from their contrasting acceptance rates and popular majors to their diverse student body demographics and compelling graduation rates. Discover which university aligns seamlessly with your academic aspirations and personal preferences, ensuring an enriching and transformative educational experience.

	Iowa State University	University of California-Berkeley
Overview
Location	Ames, Iowa	Berkeley, California
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%	96.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.1%	14.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $120
SAT range	1083 - 1330	N/A
ACT range	21 - 28	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%
Students submitting ACT score	63.0%
Total number of applicants	20,357	112,843
Total number of admissions given out	18,550	16,295
Admitted students who chose to enroll	5,387	6,931
Yield rate	29.0%	42.5%
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: $37,920 Out of state: $67,674
Average net price	$15,422	$17,652
Tuition	In state: $8,324 Out of state: $24,136	In state: $11,442 Out of state: $41,196
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,590 Meal plan: $4,498	$20,236
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $8,833	52.0% Average amount $21,406
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $5,202	15.0% Average amount $4,586
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $11,630	6.0% Average amount $7,122

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	25,808 Men 56.1% Women 43.9%	31,814 Men 45.4% Women 54.6%
Graduate students	4,900 Men 50.6% Women 49.4%	13,222 Men 51.7% Women 48.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	16.9%
International students	8.2%	18.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	9,400	9,630
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	California New Jersey Texas Virginia New York

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Agriculture Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Engineering Business Computer and Information Science Legal Profession Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	20:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	76.0%	92.8%
Dropout rate	6.1%	6.3%
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	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $171,936 Year 3: $191,597 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $122,038 Year 3: $167,052 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $125,250 Year 2: $125,388 Year 3: $161,399 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $126,367 Year 2: $128,868 Year 3: $160,666 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $160,390 Year 2: $142,470 Year 3: $143,984 Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $119,358 Year 3: $143,516 Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $107,442 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $112,973 Optometry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $74,750 Year 2: $91,363 Year 3: $104,601 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $95,600 Year 2: $85,760 Year 3: $103,738 Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,282 Year 2: $65,387 Year 3: $102,543

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