UT Austin comparison · vs IU
UT Austin vs Indiana University Bloomington
UT Austin in-state tuition is $11,688/year vs IU in-state at $11,300/year. Out-of-state at UT is $44,908/year vs IU out-of-state at $40,500/year. For out-of-state families, the Texas residency pathway can convert the UT non-resident rate to the resident rate in 12 months, making UT after residency the cheapest of the four classifications.
Summary
UT Austin and Indiana University Bloomington are both flagship public research universities. IU is particularly strong in business (Kelley School of Business is top 10), music (Jacobs School of Music), and education. UT outranks IU on overall prestige rankings but Kelley competes directly with McCombs at the undergraduate business level. Cost: IU in-state at ~$11,300 is comparable to UT in-state at $11,688; IU out-of-state at ~$40,500 is about $4,400/year cheaper than UT out-of-state.
Cost comparison
| Tuition + Required Fees | UT Austin | IU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state (resident) | $11,688 | $11,300 | IU cheaper by $388 |
| Out-of-state (non-resident) | $44,908 | $40,500 | IU cheaper by $4,408 |
| UT after Texas residency | $11,688 | vs IU in-state: $388 more at UT |
IU in-state at $11,300 is about $400/year cheaper than UT in-state. IU out-of-state at $40,500 is about $4,400/year cheaper than UT out-of-state. With the Texas residency pathway, UT after residency at $11,688 is comparable to IU in-state and dramatically cheaper than IU out-of-state.
Where UT Austin wins
- McCombs Business top-10 ranking is competitive with Kelley (both elite undergrad business)
- UT Computer Science generally outranks IU CS
- Cockrell Engineering substantially outranks IU Engineering
- Austin tech industry is materially stronger than Bloomington area employment
- Warmer climate, larger urban setting
- Texas residency pathway makes UT cheaper than IU at either rate
Where IU wins
- IU out-of-state is $4,400/year cheaper than UT out-of-state
- Kelley School of Business is a peer of McCombs and consistently top 10
- Jacobs School of Music is one of the top conservatory programs in the US
- IU has strong programs in linguistics, public policy (SPEA), and area studies
- Bloomington is a classic Big Ten college town with excellent campus character
- Hoosiers basketball tradition is among the strongest in the country
Program comparison
For Business: McCombs and Kelley are both elite undergrad programs. Kelley has slightly stronger consulting and Big 4 placement; McCombs has slightly stronger Bay Area tech and Texas employer placement. Both are top-10 nationally. For CS: UT outranks IU. For Music: IU Jacobs is dramatically stronger than UT (Jacobs is among the top 3-5 conservatories in the US). For Engineering: UT Cockrell is stronger than IU Engineering.
Admissions comparison
IU acceptance rate ~78%; UT ~31%. IU is significantly more accessible than UT for general admission. Kelley direct admit is competitive but easier to access than McCombs direct admit. For non-residents at both schools, admissions are competitive but UT is materially more selective.
Culture and campus
Bloomington is a classic Big Ten college town of ~85K. IU campus is large, leafy, and tradition-heavy. Hoosier basketball is central to school culture. UT Austin is in urban Austin with music, tech, and government as the surrounding context. Both have strong school spirit; IU is more campus-and-college-town focused, UT is more city-integrated.
The Texas residency angle
Texas residency pathway makes UT cheaper than IU at either classification. UT after residency at $11,688 vs IU out-of-state at $40,500 is about $28,800/year savings. Indiana residency is hard for out-of-state college students to establish; the move from one state to the other favors Texas.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kelley better than McCombs?
Is UT Austin better than IU?
Is IU cheaper than UT for out-of-state students?
Can my Indiana student establish Texas residency at UT?
What about IU basketball culture?
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