Iowa State vs Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Iowa State accepts most of the applications it receives (88.7%), while Virginia turns away the overwhelming majority (16.8%).
Virginia reports no financial aid for international students, while Iowa State awards them $12,582 on average. For an applicant from outside the US that is usually the most important difference on this page.
The tuition gap is $34,042 a year: $28,881 (Iowa State) against $62,923.
Ten years on, graduates of Virginia earn noticeably more: $87K against $63K.
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
Virginia is the more selective of the two (16.81% vs 88.66% acceptance). Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #201-300). Virginia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($87K vs $63K). Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $62,923 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.
Choose Virginia 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
Virginia is more selective (16.81% vs 88.66% acceptance); Virginia has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1250).
Virginia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($87K vs $63K); Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.6% vs 75.3%).
Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $62,923); Virginia offers a larger average aid package ($37,123 vs $15,665).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Iowa State | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 88.66% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.75 | - |
| Number of applications | 23,095 | 58,951 |
| International students | 3.7% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $44K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 75.3% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 87.6% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $22,869 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $28,881 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,665 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 78% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $29,475 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $40 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 30,432 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Iowa State or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Virginia. Iowa State accepts 88.66% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Iowa State or Virginia graduates earn more?
Virginia graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $87K vs $63K.
How much is tuition at Iowa State vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $28,881 per year at Iowa State and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Iowa State or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Iowa State and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Iowa State or Virginia?
Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Iowa State vs #201-300 for Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Iowa State or Virginia?
The average aid package is $15,665 at Iowa State and $37,123 at Virginia.
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