Iowa State University
Ames, IA · Public · offers Graduate degrees
89%Acceptance rate
$18,589Average net price / year
75%Graduation rate
$63,386Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$22,869Median debt at graduation
25,367Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $10,787
- Out-of-state tuition
- $28,881
- Total cost of attendance
- $24,018
- Room & board
- $10,808
- Books & supplies
- $700
- Average net price
- $18,589
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $10,582
- $30–48k
- $11,506
- $48–75k
- $15,463
- $75–110k
- $19,605
- $110k+
- $22,496
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 88.7%
- Average SAT
- 1204
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 560–670
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 560–690
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 21–28
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 75%
- First-year retention
- 88%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $53,873
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $63,386
- Median debt (graduates)
- $22,869
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 19%
- Students with federal loans
- 43%
Programs: what graduates earn
96 of 325 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | 12 | $114,122 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 0 | $107,376 | $30,724 |
| Mechanical Engineering | — | $98,551 | $25,300 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 0 | $94,720 | $22,707 |
| Civil Engineering | 18 | $79,509 | — |
| Plant Sciences | 33 | $73,707 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 39 | $64,654 | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 3 | $60,183 | $18,203 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | 18 | $58,434 | — |
| Agricultural Public Services | 16 | $57,323 | $20,177 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 9 | $54,691 | — |
| Education, General | 0 | $50,170 | $20,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 4 | $37,246 | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 19 | $35,702 | — |
| Biology, General | 31 | $28,875 | $22,505 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 14 | $66,778 | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 7 | $87,824 | — |
| Statistics | 12 | $130,131 | — |
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, General | 8 | $79,098 | — |
| Chemistry | 28 | $70,782 | — |
First professional degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | 156 | $96,477 | $138,980 |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 25,367
- Graduate students
- 5,458
- Part-time
- 4%
- Women / men
- 45% / 55%
- White
- 75%
- Hispanic
- 7%
- Black
- 2%
- Asian
- 4%
- International
- 4%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 18:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $114,318 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 84%
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Website
- www.iastate.edu
- Also known as
- ISU
Most popular fields
- Agriculture – 10% of degrees
- Architecture – 2% of degrees
- Communication & Journalism – 3% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 6% of degrees
- Education – 4% of degrees
- Engineering – 21% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Iowa State University?
88.7% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1204 on the SAT.
How much does Iowa State University cost?
The average net price after grants is $18,589 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $10,787 and the full cost of attendance is $24,018.
How much do Iowa State University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $63,386 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Ames
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCI Academy-Ames Ames, IA · Private for-profit · 176 students |
$20,533 | — | 77% | $31,330 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.