Iowa State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Ames, Iowa. It enrolls 25,367 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
75/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes84
Value72
Affordability37
Selectivity42
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 88.7%, Iowa State University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
88.7%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1120 – 1360
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
21 – 28
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Iowa State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
2.9 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Iowa State University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $18,589 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$18,589
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
19%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
43%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$10,787
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$28,881
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,808
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,576
Books & Supplies
$700
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,900
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,018
Application fee: $40 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$10,582
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,506
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,463
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,605
Over $110,000
$22,496
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,16610%percentile
$8,25025%percentile
$22,869Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$32,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,588
↓ $3,281
No Pell $18,250
↓ $4,619
Dependent students $18,750
↓ $4,119
Independent students $20,770
↓ $2,099
Female students $19,031
↓ $3,838
Male students $18,750
↓ $4,119
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($22,869), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of full-time students who enrolled at Iowa State University graduate within six years, and 88% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
88%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Iowa State University earn a median of $63,386 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$63,386
Earning > $25K
87%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$46,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$63,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$53,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$54,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$57,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $16,800, about 26% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
9.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 90% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Iowa State University is home to 25,367 students, a sprawling student community.
Total Enrolled
25,367
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
20%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 74.9%19,005
Hispanic 7.0%1,786
Asian 4.2%1,070
International 3.6%913
Other 3.4%870
Black 2.4%619
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Iowa State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityAmes, Iowa
Housing
Mostly residential10,465 beds on campus
Adult Learners
3%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Iowa State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
251 distinct programs across
28 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Iowa State University is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$13,053
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.5B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$111,805
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
1,432 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
554
39%
$135,654
Associate Professors
522
36%
$101,814
Assistant Professors
347
24%
$90,122
Lecturers
9
1%
$59,267
Pros & Cons of Iowa State University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Iowa State University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Wide variety of programs and student life
Above-average graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Iowa State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about Iowa State University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Iowa State University.
Is Iowa State University hard to get into?
Iowa State University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 88.7%.
What is the acceptance rate at Iowa State University?
Iowa State University has an acceptance rate of 88.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Iowa State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Iowa State University scored between 1120 and 1360 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Iowa State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Iowa State University scored between 21 and 28 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Iowa State University cost?
The average net price after aid at Iowa State University is $18,589 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Iowa State University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $63,386 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $18,589 per year. That's roughly 3.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Iowa State University known for?
Iowa State University is best known for its programs in Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, Marketing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Iowa State University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Iowa State University are $63,386, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Iowa State University accredited?
Yes. Iowa State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Iowa State University?
Iowa State University enrolls 25,367 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Iowa State University?
Iowa State University graduates 69% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Iowa State University a public or private college?
Iowa State University is a Public institution.
Where is Iowa State University located?
Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa.
What programs does Iowa State University offer?
Iowa State University offers 251 distinct programs. The most popular include Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, Marketing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Iowa State University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Iowa State University is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Iowa
Other colleges in Iowa share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Higher education data
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College enrollment
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Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
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Rankings That Feature Iowa State University
Iowa State University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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