R1 ResearchPublicLand-grantMedical

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa·Public, 4-year or above·Plains·iastate.edu
6-yr Graduation
75%
+2.0pp vs R1 Research
Total enrollment
30,380
peer median 30,086
Avg net price
$18,589
-$409 vs R1 Research
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
23,095
23,095 candidates competed
Admitted
20,475
88.7% acceptance rate
Enrolled
5,906
28.8% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
75%+2.0pp vs R1 Research
4-year graduation
57%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
75%
Full-time retention
88%

Pell equity

7.6pp gap
Pell recipients
69%666 of 967
Non-Pell (all)
77%3781 of 4937
Subsidized loan, no Pell
69%1111 of 1604
No Federal Aid
80%2670 of 3333

Non-Pell students graduate at a 7.6-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 318 Title IV programs, 84 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 234 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
318
Passing
84
26.4% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

318programs
  • Passing84 · 26.4%
  • No Data234 · 73.6%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
2
Watch
5
Safe
77
No data
234

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

84
Ecology Evolution Systematics and Population Biology
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+8.5%
$39,143 vs $36,082
Visual and Performing Arts General
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+9.2%
$39,403 vs $36,082
Linguistic Comparative and Related Language Studies and Services
Bachelor Degree · Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
+12.9%
$40,726 vs $36,082
Agricultural Public Services
Master's Degree · Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences
+13.3%
$60,737 vs $53,607
Anthropology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+20.4%
$43,443 vs $36,082
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+24.4%
$44,892 vs $36,082
Architectural Sciences and Technology
Master's Degree · Architecture And Related Services
+24.6%
$66,778 vs $53,607
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
+28.2%
$46,253 vs $36,082

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

68
Ecology Evolution Systematics and Population Biology
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
63%
$24,618 debt · $39,143 earn
Anthropology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
58%
$25,250 debt · $43,443 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
51%
$25,065 debt · $49,626 earn
Landscape Architecture
Bachelor Degree · Architecture And Related Services
50%
$30,750 debt · $61,364 earn
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
49%
$26,000 debt · $52,671 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
47%
$22,500 debt · $47,462 earn
History
Bachelor Degree · History
47%
$25,000 debt · $52,934 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
47%
$25,580 debt · $54,889 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1916Next review Aug 2026

Programmatic accreditations · 11

Action history · 17

  1. Jul 2025Removal of Monitoring Status
    American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education · Veterinary Medicine (VET) - Programs leading to a D.V.M. or D.M.V. degree
  2. Apr 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics
  3. Apr 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIET) - Coordinated Program in Dietetics
  4. Mar 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education · Veterinary Medicine (VET) - Programs leading to a D.V.M. or D.M.V. degree
  5. Oct 2023Approved for Distance Education
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$10,582
$30–48k$11,506
$48–75k$15,463
$75–110k$19,605
$110k+$22,496

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$18,589
-$408vs R1 Research median $18,998
Federal loans
43.3%
In-state tuition
$10,787
Out-of-state
$28,881

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 5,990 students received $32.2M in Pell grants, alongside $139.7M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
5,990
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$32.2M
$32,171,596 total
Direct Loans
$139.7M
18,983 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

5k
’20
5k
’21
5k
’22
5k
’23
6k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$26.7M
6,283 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$43.2M
9,373 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$27.6M
978 loan awards
Parent PLUS$35.8M
2,045 loan awards
Grad PLUS$6.5M
304 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 6,279 borrowers who entered repayment, 50 (0.7%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.7%
-1.6pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
6,279
Defaulted
50
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
3.2%
2017
3.3%
2018
2.4%
2019
0.7%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Iowa State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs181
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

5,451 total completions
01Engineering
1,42526.1%
02Business
1,28323.5%
03Agriculture
80014.7%
04Computer Sciences
4267.8%
05Biological Sciences
4027.4%
06Education
2885.3%
07Visual/Performing Arts
2284.2%
08Psychology
2184.0%
09Parks/Recreation
2113.9%
10Communication
1703.1%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
30,380
12-mo unduplicated
32,301
Undergraduate
26,843
Graduate
5,458

Gender split

Men
54%17,515
Women
46%14,786

Race / ethnicity composition

White
74.9%
Hispanic
7.0%
Unknown
4.3%
Asian
4.2%
Non-resident
3.6%
Two or more
3.2%
Black
2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
460
258 M · 202 W
Women athletes
43.9%
Athletic aid
$9.9M
Total student aid
Budget
$103.9M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$5.1M
$4.7M
Recruiting expense
$976K
$482K
Head-coach salaries
$1.9M
$327K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
129 M · 124 W
$5.1M
Football
135 M · —
$32.3M
Wrestling
44 M · —
$2.7M
Soccer
— · 36 W
$1.9M
Basketball
15 M · 15 W
$15.7M
Swimming and Diving (combined)
— · 27 W
$1.7M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
2.02
61 offenses · 30,177 students

3-year trend

1.072 yrs ago1.271 yr ago2.02Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
132
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
148
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
2
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
18

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
22
Fondling
12
Rape
11
Burglary
10
Aggravated assault
4
Arson
2

By location

61total
  • On campus56
  • Non-campus5

Includes 20 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

3
Domestic violence
13
Dating violence
29
Stalking
45 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons50
Drugs668
Liquor206230

Residence-hall fires

  • Buchanan Hall1 fire
    OtherDamage $0-$99
  • Frederiksen Ct.1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Friley Hall2 fires
    ElectricalDamage $0-$99
  • Friley Hall2 fires
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Martin Hall1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • University Village1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99

Data quality: 5 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
18.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
1,417

Iowa State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Iowa State selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectIowa State University
75%—30,380$18,589R1 Research
University of Iowa
75%83.6%30,779$22,531R1 Research
University of Missouri-Columbia
75%78.5%31,543$20,268R1 Research
University of Kansas
69%93.5%29,792$18,059R1 Research
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
67%87.5%24,393$17,747R1 Research
Kansas State University
71%81.7%20,295$19,406R1 Research
Peer group median73%83.6%30,086$18,998

Institutions like Iowa State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Iowa State's comparison group.

IPEDS

Iowa State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost
Email
ir [at] iastate.edu
Phone
515-294-1181
Address
2420 Lincoln Way, Suite 203, Ames, IA 50014-8340

The office of Institutional Research is responsible for the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of university information to support institutional planning, decision-making, and reporting.

Visit IR office page
Team
6 members
  • Kevin Saunders
    Executive Director
  • Jesse Rothweiler-Foster
    Assistant Director
  • Sarah Shanahan
    Data Analyst II
  • Susan Ray
    Data Analyst III (Data Visualization Analyst)
  • Korrie Price
    Data Analyst II
  • Chris Andringa
    Administrative Assistant II

Common Data Set

Iowa State's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
87.8%
Accessible
Yield
28.4%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
31,105
26,346 UG · 4,759 grad
6-yr graduation rate
77%
First-year retention
89%
Student–faculty ratio
19 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$30,717
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
24,625
Admitted
21,652
Enrolled
6,160

24,625 applied → 21,652 admitted (87.8%) → 6,160 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
87.8%

Accessible — 87.8% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
male87.6%
female88.3%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1153
Median
1260
75th
1360

Middle 50% SAT 1153–1360 (median 1260).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
21
Median
25
75th
28

Middle 50% ACT 21–28 (median 25).

High-school class rank

C10

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important2
Rigor of secondary school recordAcademic GPA
Important1
Class rank
Considered4
Standardized test scoresApplication EssayRecommendation(s)Extracurricular activities
Not Considered11
InterviewTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitmentVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$43,817
Tuition
$28,57865%
Fees
$1,5614%
Room & board
$10,92825%
Books
$8002%
Other
$1,9504%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $43,817 (2025-2026).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$43,817
Net (aided)
$30,717
Avg need grant
$13,100

Sticker $43,817 → about $30,717 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($13,100); 69% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Institutional64.5%
Federal28.6%
External4.6%
State2.3%

64% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
53%
Avg debt
$28,851

53% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $28,851 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
77%
Retention
89%

6-year graduation rate 77%; first-year retention 89%.

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students272
10-19 students736
20-29 students907
30-39 students312
40-49 students232
50-99 students544
100+ students285

31% of classes have under 20 students; 25% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
19 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
77%
Women faculty
41%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Business/marketing55.12%
Agriculture21.65%
Social sciences7.09%
Education4.72%
Computer and information sciences3.15%
Communication/journalism2.36%
Family and consumer sciences1.97%
Engineering0.79%

STEM-dominant: ~5% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic75.7%
Hispanic/Latino7.7%
Asian, non-Hispanic4.3%
Nonresidents3.7%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic3.5%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic2.6%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown2.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.1%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
985
Share
4%

4% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
26,34685%
Graduate
4,75915%

26,346 undergraduates and 4,759 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
2,757
Admitted
2,206
Enrolled
1,351

2,757 transfer applicants → 2,206 admitted (79.9%) → 1,351 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Iowa State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Iowa State.

What is the graduation rate at Iowa State University?

Iowa State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 75% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Iowa State University?

Iowa State University reports a total enrollment of 30,380 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Iowa State University?

The average net price at Iowa State University is $18,589 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Iowa State University?

Iowa State University's yield rate is 28.8%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Iowa State University located?

Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa 50011-2103.

Who runs Institutional Research at Iowa State University?

Iowa State University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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