Iowa State University
Iowa State University is a public university in Ames, IA, with about 29,194 students on campus.
Iowa State University, in brief
Easy to get into, and most students finish
Iowa State University admits 89% of applicants, yet 75% of students graduate, more than at 85% of 4-year colleges. Outcomes ↓
Students are a big part of Ames
42% of Ames’ 68,220 residents are enrolled in college. Living in Ames ↓
What you study here makes a big difference to pay
Among Iowa State University’s biggest bachelor’s programs, computer engineering graduates earn a median $105,753 four years out. Teacher education and professional development graduates earn $47,462. Majors ↓
Out-of-state students pay far more
In-state tuition and fees are $10,787 a year; students from other states pay $28,881, about two and a half times as much. What it costs ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Do students finish, and does it pay off?
Debt vs. the paycheck
The typical loan payment as a share of a typical graduate’s monthly pay six years after starting
$242 a month against about $4,489 a month in pay.
Paying back loans
Federal student loans, this college
of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 92% of U.S. colleges.
Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).
Earnings by family background
Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment
How hard is it to get into Iowa State University?
of applicants admitted
About 18 of every 20 applicants get in.
Test scores of admitted students
The middle 50%: a quarter scored below the range and a quarter above it. Average SAT: 1204.
The sticker price, and what families really pay
Sticker price: $24,018 a year
Before any grants · out-of-state tuition $28,881
After grants, the average family on aid pays $18,589.
Your family’s price
Average net price after grants, by family income
About $61,852 over 4 years · 36% off the sticker price
What students study, and what it pays
Share of degrees by field
Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates
And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).
The students
25,367 degree-seeking undergraduates.
By race and ethnicity
Women and men
Living in Ames
42% of Ames’s 68,220 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Ames pages.
Other colleges within 30 miles
Straight-line distances from Iowa State University; colleges with 100 or more students on campus.
Ask around
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.