Iowa State vs Stony Brook - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Stony Brook: 49% against 88.7% (Iowa State).
The share of international students differs sharply: 10.2% (Stony Brook) against 3.7% (Iowa State).
Average aid for an international student is $12,582 (Iowa State) and $2,834 (Stony Brook).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Stony Brook: $75K against $63K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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
Stony Brook is the more selective of the two (49.04% vs 88.66% acceptance). Stony Brook ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #301-400). Stony Brook graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($75K vs $63K). Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $32,741 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, a larger aid package.
Choose Stony Brook 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
Stony Brook is more selective (49.04% vs 88.66% acceptance); Stony Brook has a higher median SAT (1410 vs 1250).
Stony Brook graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($75K vs $63K); Stony Brook has a higher 6-year graduation rate (75.6% vs 75.3%).
Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $32,741); Iowa State offers a larger average aid package ($15,665 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Iowa State | Stony Brook |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 88.66% | 49.04% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 14.7% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1410 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.75 | - |
| Number of applications | 23,095 | 55,880 |
| International students | 3.7% | 10.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $75K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $44K | $49K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $107K |
| Graduation rate | 75.3% | 75.6% |
| Retention rate | 87.6% | 89.7% |
| Median debt | $22,869 | $18,228 |
| Tuition · year | $28,881 | $32,741 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,665 | $15,261 |
| % of need met | 78% | 0.6% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $29,475 | $23,558 |
| Application fee | $40 | - |
| Enrollment | 30,432 | 26,689 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Iowa State or Stony Brook?
It's harder to get into Stony Brook. Iowa State accepts 88.66% of applicants, while Stony Brook accepts 49.04%.
Do Iowa State or Stony Brook graduates earn more?
Stony Brook graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $75K vs $63K.
How much is tuition at Iowa State vs Stony Brook?
Sticker-price tuition is $28,881 per year at Iowa State and $32,741 per year at Stony Brook.
What SAT score do you need for Iowa State or Stony Brook?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Iowa State and 1410 at Stony Brook; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Iowa State or Stony Brook?
Stony Brook ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Iowa State vs #301-400 for Stony Brook.
Which university offers more financial aid - Iowa State or Stony Brook?
The average aid package is $15,665 at Iowa State and $15,261 at Stony Brook.
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