Kansas State vs Iowa State - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Ten years on, graduates of Iowa State earn noticeably more: $63K against $57K.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Iowa State: a midpoint of 1250 against 1150, a difference of 100 points.
Neither is international in practice: the share of foreign students does not exceed 3.7%.
The price list does not separate these two: $28,568 and $28,881.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
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
Kansas State is the more selective of the two (82% vs 88.66% acceptance). Iowa State graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($63K vs $57K). Kansas State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,568 vs $28,881 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 Kansas State for: higher selectivity, lower tuition, a larger aid package.
Choose Iowa State for: higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate, higher retention.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Kansas State is more selective (82% vs 88.66% acceptance); Iowa State has a higher median SAT (1250 vs 1150).
Iowa State graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($63K vs $57K); Iowa State has a higher 6-year graduation rate (75.3% vs 71.1%).
Kansas State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,568 vs $28,881); Kansas State offers a larger average aid package ($15,968 vs $15,665).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Kansas State | Iowa State |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 82% | 88.66% |
| Yield rate | 27.5% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1150 | 1250 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.81 | 3.75 |
| Number of applications | 15,432 | 23,095 |
| International students | 1.7% | 3.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $57K | $63K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $44K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $83K | $90K |
| Graduation rate | 71.1% | 75.3% |
| Retention rate | 85.6% | 87.6% |
| Median debt | $21,250 | $22,869 |
| Tuition · year | $28,568 | $28,881 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,968 | $15,665 |
| % of need met | 77% | 78% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $25,179 | $29,475 |
| Application fee | $40 | $40 |
| Enrollment | 20,295 | 30,432 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Kansas State or Iowa State?
It's harder to get into Kansas State. Kansas State accepts 82% of applicants, while Iowa State accepts 88.66%.
Do Kansas State or Iowa State graduates earn more?
Iowa State graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $63K vs $57K.
How much is tuition at Kansas State vs Iowa State?
Sticker-price tuition is $28,568 per year at Kansas State and $28,881 per year at Iowa State.
What SAT score do you need for Kansas State or Iowa State?
The median admitted SAT score is 1150 at Kansas State and 1250 at Iowa State; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Kansas State or Iowa State?
The average aid package is $15,968 at Kansas State and $15,665 at Iowa State.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern