William Penn University vs Iowa State

William Penn University and Iowa State University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students with diverse aspirations. William Penn, a private university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, fosters a close-knit community with a focus on personalized attention and undergraduate education. In contrast, Iowa State, a public research university in Ames, Iowa, boasts a larger student body, extensive research opportunities, and a wide range of academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. While both universities offer a variety of majors, William Penn emphasizes liberal arts and professional studies, while Iowa State excels in STEM fields and agriculture. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into the acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and other key differences between these two esteemed institutions to determine which one aligns best with your academic goals and preferences.
Iowa State University logo

Iowa State University

William Penn University logo

William Penn University

Overview

Location Ames, Iowa Oskaloosa, Iowa
Campus setting City: Small Town: Remote
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% 61.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.1% 57.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1083 - 1330 830 - 1030
ACT range 21 - 28 16 - 21
Students submitting SAT score 13.0% 18.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0% 40.0%
Total number of applicants 20,357 1,387
Total number of admissions given out 18,550 800
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,387 335
Yield rate 29.0% 41.9%
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
$40,600
Average net price $15,422 $21,112
Tuition
In state: $8,324

Out of state: $24,136
$27,200
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,590

Meal plan: $4,498
Room/dormitory: $3,206

Meal plan: $4,050
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 $18,221
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,202
96.0%
Average amount $5,411
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $11,630
96.0%
Average amount $2,104

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 25,808
Men 56.1% Women 43.9%
1,304
Men 52.3% Women 47.7%
Graduate students 4,900
Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
68
Men 61.8% Women 38.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 8.2% 5.3%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 9,400 856
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 76.0% 32.1%
Dropout rate 6.1% 67.2%
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/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,560
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $61,842
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,860
  • Year 2: $40,089
  • Year 3: $45,725
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,675
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,031
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,693
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,205
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,478
  • Year 3: N/A

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