University of New Mexico-Main Campus (UNM) vs Iowa State

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant college towns of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Ames, Iowa, home to the University of New Mexico-Main Campus and Iowa State University, respectively. While both institutions offer a wealth of opportunities, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your academic journey. Dive into our comprehensive comparison to uncover the nuances that set these universities apart. Explore the contrasting acceptance rates, delve into the diverse range of popular majors, discover the unique demographics of their student bodies, and uncover the graduation rates that reflect each institution's commitment to student success. This side-by-side analysis empowers you to make an informed decision, aligning your aspirations with the university that best resonates with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Iowa State University	University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Overview
Location	Ames, Iowa	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Large
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%	68.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.1%	97.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $50
SAT range	1083 - 1330	N/A
ACT range	21 - 28	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%
Students submitting ACT score	63.0%	28.0%
Total number of applicants	20,357	11,346
Total number of admissions given out	18,550	11,036
Admitted students who chose to enroll	5,387	3,077
Yield rate	29.0%	27.9%
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: $23,725 Out of state: $41,063
Average net price	$15,422	$11,396
Tuition	In state: $8,324 Out of state: $24,136	In state: $6,604 Out of state: $23,942
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,590 Meal plan: $4,498	$10,396
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $8,833	98.0% Average amount $7,531
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $5,202	54.0% Average amount $5,240
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $11,630	2.0% Average amount $10,500

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	25,808 Men 56.1% Women 43.9%	15,793 Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
Graduate students	4,900 Men 50.6% Women 49.4%	6,346 Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	21.2%
International students	8.2%	4.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	9,400	2,492
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	New Mexico Texas California Colorado Arizona

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Agriculture Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Health Professions Business Engineering Education Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	76.0%	53.6%
Dropout rate	6.1%	40.9%
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	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $117,174 Year 2: $124,631 Year 3: $128,888 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $99,409 Year 2: $94,999 Year 3: $106,457 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,927 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $86,346 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,115 Year 2: $65,053 Year 3: $83,794 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $59,598 Year 2: $68,965 Year 3: $76,357 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,723 Year 2: $70,863 Year 3: $74,672 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,481 Year 2: $62,012 Year 3: $71,489 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $58,379 Year 2: $65,424 Year 3: $70,962 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,309 Year 2: $60,771 Year 3: $69,058 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $68,774 Year 2: $59,688 Year 3: $68,840

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