Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa · Public, a small city · 25,367 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Iowa State?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
88.7%
22,995 applied
SAT, middle half
1120 to 1360
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
21 to 28
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
29% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
How much does Iowa State cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Iowa residents
$11,092
Tuition and fees, out of state
$30,140
A full year, sticker price
$24,539
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$18,517
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $11,957 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,869 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,013 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,173 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,905 |
- Room and board on campus
- $10,928 a year; $9,904 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $800 a year
- The school's own grants
- 75% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $9,582
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Iowa State students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$21,250
About $242 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
44.1%
Get a Pell Grant
22.6%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
3.4%
What do Iowa State graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$58,609
Ten years after starting
$67,568
Middle half: $48,177 to $95,187
Best-paid program, five years out
$115,731
Computer Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$42,661
Visual and Performing Arts, General
Do Iowa State students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
87.6%
Graduate in six years
76.7%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
74% graduated
16% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to Iowa State?
Women
44.8%
First in their family at college
19.9%
Part-time
3.8%
Students per teacher
18
- Background
- White 75%, Hispanic 7%, Black 2%, Asian 4%, Two or more 3%, International 4%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 10,465 beds
What do Iowa State graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 308 | $62,978 | Hidden | $21,400 |
| Computer Science | 247 | $81,601 | $110,479 | $24,050 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 294 | $79,517 | $91,195 | $25,250 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 97 | $74,047 | $93,410 | $18,750 |
| Chemical Engineering | 167 | $79,106 | $95,790 | $23,201 |
| Civil Engineering | 219 | $75,489 | $87,440 | $21,500 |
| Computer Engineering | 460 | $83,366 | $115,731 | $24,250 |
| Construction Engineering | 112 | $79,703 | $104,696 | $22,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 210 | $81,522 | $105,822 | $22,429 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 161 | $69,879 | $79,105 | $22,475 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 28 | Hidden | Hidden | $25,286 |
| Industrial Engineering | 178 | $78,621 | $97,132 | $23,250 |
| Materials Engineering | 67 | $72,014 | $90,066 | $25,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 725 | $77,031 | $89,608 | $22,971 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 252 | $62,351 | $78,366 | $19,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 605 | $60,808 | $80,534 | $19,427 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 23 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 88 | $58,250 | Hidden | $18,722 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 444 | $64,168 | $81,454 | $20,750 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 161 | $46,372 | $59,895 | $22,250 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 29 | Hidden | Hidden | $22,335 |
| International Business | 30 | $66,155 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 0 | Hidden | $89,422 | Hidden |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 133 | $69,353 | Hidden | $21,000 |
| Marketing | 601 | $56,055 | $71,779 | $21,500 |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 25 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 24 | Hidden | $46,432 | Hidden |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 78 | Hidden | $55,227 | $19,500 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 6 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 15 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 485 | $40,853 | $65,039 | $23,250 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 389 | $59,562 | $70,742 | $15,000 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 84 | $69,450 | $79,073 | $15,777 |
| Agricultural Public Services | 8 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Animal Sciences | 466 | $44,561 | $57,629 | $20,000 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 54 | $46,267 | $58,872 | $21,117 |
| Biology, General | 335 | $39,244 | $56,538 | $21,500 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 13 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 197 | $34,656 | $43,677 | $21,500 |
| Food Science and Technology | 38 | Hidden | $66,436 | Hidden |
| Forestry | 58 | $42,466 | $57,962 | $22,413 |
| Genetics | 66 | $42,109 | $61,176 | $23,500 |
| International Agriculture | 82 | $43,523 | $60,240 | $17,282 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 63 | Hidden | $62,975 | $24,572 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 172 | $43,359 | $53,637 | $19,095 |
| Plant Sciences | 230 | $48,895 | $62,389 | $17,504 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 34 | Hidden | $60,778 | $24,292 |
| Chemistry | 71 | $57,526 | $65,825 | $19,500 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 25 | Hidden | $70,711 | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 109 | $55,421 | $77,375 | $18,625 |
| Physics | 28 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Statistics | 61 | $60,621 | Hidden | $22,000 |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature, General | 123 | $43,430 | $47,311 | $18,761 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 121 | $41,458 | $53,584 | $25,000 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 38 | Hidden | $51,137 | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 18 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 11 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 25 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 87 | $49,981 | $69,945 | $27,000 |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education, General | 98 | Hidden | Hidden | $21,375 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 402 | $46,492 | $48,247 | $22,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 113 | $47,409 | $56,263 | $17,250 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 461 | $45,054 | $54,670 | $25,490 |
| Music | 19 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 27 | $33,710 | $42,661 | Hidden |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 151 | $61,214 | $59,764 | $28,253 |
| Architecture | 0 | Hidden | $74,109 | Hidden |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 43 | $49,560 | $68,313 | $24,375 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computational Science | 34 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 142 | $39,154 | $56,010 | $19,498 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 7 | Hidden | $61,076 | Hidden |
| Nutrition Sciences | 35 | $41,420 | $64,307 | Hidden |
| Sustainability Studies | 54 | $55,068 | Hidden | $27,250 |
Other programs
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | 71 | Hidden | Hidden | $25,500 |
Compare Iowa State with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Iowa State University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences