Iowa State University Overview

Iowa State University is a four-year, full-time, selective, higher transfer-in, higher education institution located in Ames, IA. It has an enrollment of 25,537 undergraduate students. The admissions acceptance rate is 91.12%.

The average annual cost of attendance after financial aid is $15,351. Tuition is $9,634.00 without financial aid.

Iowa State University is a predominantly bachelor’s-degree granting school.

At Iowa State University, 88.05% of students return after freshman year (national average: 68%).

Iowa State University has a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1.

Iowa State University Website

Iowa State University Admissions

For the incoming class in 2023, the acceptance rate was 91.12%.

SAT or ACT scores are considered but not required

• The average SAT score was 1205.0 for the incoming class of 2023.
• The median ACT score was 25.0 for the incoming class to 2023.

Iowa State University Cost

The average annual cost of attendance after financial aid is $15,351. The in-state tuition is $9,634.00. Out-of-state tuition is $25,446.00

The average tuition is:

• $8,148, when family income is less than $30,000

• $9,986, when family income is between $30,001 and $48,000 

• $12,717, when family income is between $48,001 and $75,000

• $16,964, when family income is between $75,001 and $110,000

• $19,610, when family income is more than $110,000 

The average tuition shown here is based on the NET costs to students who receive financial aid. For the incoming class of 2023, 47.93% of students received a federal student loan and 19.79% of students received a Pell Grant.

Tuition is $25,446.00 without financial aid, or the in-state tuition discount.

Iowa State University Net Price Calculator

Iowa State University Majors/Salaries

Iowa State University has academic offerings within the core majors listed below.  

Please note that different schools classify majors differently, so it is best to view the school’s website to see the various programs it offers. See detailed information about the individual majors at Iowa State University here.

Recent Graduate Salaries

(Average salaries of students from select majors two years after graduation)

• Agricultural Business and Management. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $48,432
• Agricultural Mechanization. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $55,693
• International Agriculture. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $25,194
• Agricultural Public Services. (Master’s Degree) – $50,439
• Animal Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,289
• Food Science and Technology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $42,682
• Plant Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $46,395
• Plant Sciences. (Master’s Degree) – $68,219
• Veterinary Medicine. (First Professional Degree) – $77,119
• Natural Resources Conservation and Research. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,745
• Forestry. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $34,348
• Architecture. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $50,060
• Architecture. (Master’s Degree) – $47,260
• City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $43,426
• Landscape Architecture. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $46,924
• Area Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,848
• Communication and Media Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,134
• Journalism. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,986
• Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,559
• Computer Science. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $71,734
• Education, General. (Master’s Degree) – $47,455
• Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $40,322
• Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $41,870
• Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $62,734
• Agricultural Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $60,485
• Chemical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $67,156
• Civil Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $62,632
• Civil Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $66,541
• Computer Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $73,839
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $73,321
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $94,408
• Materials Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,005
• Mechanical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $67,221
• Construction Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $70,083
• Industrial Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $68,101
• Industrial Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $89,059
• Engineering-Related Fields. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $58,040
• Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,060
• Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,674
• Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,289
• Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $41,565
• Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $31,777
• Apparel and Textiles. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,585
• English Language and Literature, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $29,685
• English Language and Literature, General. (Master’s Degree) – $38,829
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,993
• Biology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,108
• Biology, General. (Master’s Degree) – $25,194
• Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,119
• Microbiological Sciences and Immunology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,369
• Genetics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,047
• Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $29,183
• Mathematics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $44,542
• Mathematics. (Master’s Degree) – $63,005
• Statistics. (Master’s Degree) – $91,744
• Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $37,208
• Health and Physical Education/Fitness. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $34,126
• Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,848
• Chemistry. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $49,058
• Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $34,704
• Psychology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,771
• Anthropology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $21,964
• Economics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $46,087
• Political Science and Government. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,529
• Sociology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,776
• Design and Applied Arts. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,721
• Design and Applied Arts. (Master’s Degree) – $43,426
• Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,952
• Business Administration, Management and Operations. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $54,350
• Business Administration, Management and Operations. (Master’s Degree) – $70,680
• Accounting and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $53,537
• Accounting and Related Services. (Master’s Degree) – $58,334
• Finance and Financial Management Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $50,060
• Hospitality Administration/Management. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,832
• International Business. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $55,512
• Management Information Systems and Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $59,801
• Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $51,392
• Marketing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $45,249
• History. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $31,495

Iowa State University Diversity

The racial diversity of students who received financial aid at Iowa State University

• American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.15%
• Asian: 3.99%
• Black: 2.65%
• Hispanic: 7.01%
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.05%
• Non-resident alien: 3.47%
• Two or more races: 2.96%
• Unknown: 2.67%
• White: 77.06%

At Iowa State University, 3.99% of undergraduate students are 25 years old, or older.

Iowa State University Frequently Asked Questions

How is school spirit at Iowa State University?

School spirit at Iowa State University is very high. As a land-grant institution, Iowa State has a strong sense of community and pride. Students and alumni often wear the school’s cardinal and gold colors, and the university’s mascot, Cy the Cardinal, is very popular among students. There are many university traditions that help foster school spirit, including the Veishea festival, a week-long celebration of Iowa State’s culture and history that takes place in the spring. Additionally, Iowa State has a strong athletic program with competitive teams in football, basketball, volleyball, and other sports, which also contribute to a strong sense of school spirit on campus.

What are some popular extracurriculars at Iowa State University?

Iowa State University is a diverse and dynamic institution with many extracurricular activities that cater to different interests. Some of the popular extracurricular activities at Iowa State University include: 1. Iowa State Dance Marathon, a student-led fundraiser dedicated to supporting families impacted by childhood cancer. 2. The Iowa State Daily, the university’s newspaper, which offers students the opportunity to hone their writing, reporting, and journalistic skills. 3. ISU Theatre, a student-run theater organization that offers a range of theater productions throughout the year. 4. Intramural sports, which include basketball, soccer, volleyball, and more. 5. Greek life, with many fraternities and sororities that offer social, academic, and philanthropic opportunities for students. 6. Robotics club, which brings together students from different backgrounds to create working robots. 7. Music groups like the ISUCF’V’MB (Iowa State University Cyclone Football ‘Varsity’ Marching Band) and many other a cappella groups. 8. Volunteer programs such as ISU AfterDark and Student Government. These are just some of the popular extracurricular activities available at Iowa State University.

How are the food choices at Iowa State University?

Iowa State University offers a wide variety of food choices on campus, accommodating for various dietary needs and preferences. They have multiple dining centers, food courts, coffee shops, cafes, and convenience stores, providing both hot and cold meals, snacks, and beverages. Some of the options available include pizza, tacos, burgers, salads, stir fry, sandwiches, pasta, and vegetarian/vegan options. The university also sources locally grown and produced foods whenever possible. Overall, the food choices at Iowa State University are diverse and well-regarded by students.

Is there Greek life at Iowa State University?

Yes, Iowa State University has a strong Greek life with over 60 social fraternities and sororities on campus. These organizations are governed by the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Engagement and offer social, academic, and leadership opportunities for their members. The Greek community at Iowa State University is quite active and involved in campus activities, philanthropic events, and community service projects.

What is Iowa State University known for?

Iowa State University is known for its dynamic and inclusive community that combines academic excellence, research, and a vibrant campus life. The university is recognized for its strong programs in agriculture (including animal science and agronomy), engineering, science, and technology. Notably, Iowa State has the largest and oldest public veterinary college in the United States. Iowa State is also home to the world-renowned Bioeconomy Institute, which develops new technologies for renewable energy and biobased products. Additionally, the university boasts a robust athletics program, particularly in football and basketball, and hosts a variety of cultural and artistic events throughout the year.

What are the most popular school clubs at Iowa State University?

Iowa State University has over 800 student clubs and organizations. Some of the most popular clubs include: 1. Cyclone Dance Club 2. ISU Dance Marathon 3. ISU Student Government 4. Iowa State University Programming Association (ISUPA) 5. International Student Council 6. Agronomy Club 7. Society of Women Engineers (SWE) 8. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 9. Biology Club 10. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) These are just a few examples, but there are many others, including clubs related to sports, music, theater, and more.

Is the campus at Iowa State University safe?

Yes, Iowa State University has a relatively safe campus. The university has its own police department that works to ensure the safety of the students and staff. They offer a campus safety escort service for anyone that feels unsafe. Additionally, the university has a number of safety programs, resources and training available to students, faculty and staff to help them stay safe on campus. However, like any other university, it is important to take necessary precautions and be aware of your surroundings at all times.