Iowa State vs Rochester - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Rochester: 40.1% against 88.7% (Iowa State).
The share of international students differs sharply: 22.1% (Rochester) against 3.7% (Iowa State).
Real money goes to international students at Rochester ($41,269 on average), while Iowa State stops at $12,582.
On paper the cheaper option is Iowa State: $28,881 against $70,284, which is $41,403 less a year.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Rochester is the more selective of the two (40.08% vs 88.66% acceptance). Rochester ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #151-200). Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $63K). Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $70,284 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Iowa State for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Rochester for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rochester is more selective (40.08% vs 88.66% acceptance); Rochester has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1250).
Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $63K); Rochester has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.4% vs 75.3%).
Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $70,284); Rochester offers a larger average aid package ($60,879 vs $15,665).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Iowa State | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #151-200 |
| Rank · THE | - | #127 |
| Acceptance rate | 88.66% | 40.08% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 15.4% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.75 | 3.72 |
| Number of applications | 23,095 | 21,384 |
| International students | 3.7% | 22.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $79K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $44K | $50K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 75.3% | 85.4% |
| Retention rate | 87.6% | 90.7% |
| Median debt | $22,869 | $21,000 |
| Tuition · year | $28,881 | $70,284 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,665 | $60,879 |
| % of need met | 78% | 96.1% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $29,475 | $32,304 |
| Application fee | $40 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 30,432 | 11,946 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Iowa State or Rochester?
It's harder to get into Rochester. Iowa State accepts 88.66% of applicants, while Rochester accepts 40.08%.
Do Iowa State or Rochester graduates earn more?
Rochester graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $79K vs $63K.
How much is tuition at Iowa State vs Rochester?
Sticker-price tuition is $28,881 per year at Iowa State and $70,284 per year at Rochester.
What SAT score do you need for Iowa State or Rochester?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Iowa State and 1470 at Rochester; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Iowa State or Rochester?
Rochester ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Iowa State vs #151-200 for Rochester.
Which university offers more financial aid - Iowa State or Rochester?
The average aid package is $15,665 at Iowa State and $60,879 at Rochester.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern