Iowa State University (ISU)
Public four-year university in Ames, IA that costs an average of $18,517 a year after financial aid, admits 89% of applicants and graduates 77% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$18,517
Acceptance rate
89%
Graduation rate
77%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$67,568
PublicSmall city25,367 undergraduates
Cost of ISU
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $24,539 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $11,092 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $30,140 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $10,928 |
| Books and supplies | $800 |
| Average net price after aid | $18,517 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $11,957 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $12,869 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $14,013 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $19,173 |
| $110,001+ | $22,905 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with ISU's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 89% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,204 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 560–670 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 560–690 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 21–28 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 77% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 88% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $58,609 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $67,568 |
| Rank in Iowa (earnings) | 5th of 31 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $21,250 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $242 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 23% |
| Students with federal loans | 44% |
Majors and programs at ISU
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (93)
Certificate programs (6)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | — | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | — | — | — |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | — | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | — | — |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Soil Sciences | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (100)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Computer Interaction | 120 | $121,685 | $27,560 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | $119,229 | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 20 | $111,454 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | — | $99,600 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 238 | $88,599 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | $87,465 | $40,569 |
| Plant Sciences | 69 | $80,421 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 29 | $79,989 | $19,650 |
| Civil Engineering | 44 | $77,995 | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 6 | $58,971 | $25,879 |
| Agricultural Public Services | 26 | $58,070 | — |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 37 | $55,172 | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 37 | $53,760 | — |
| Education | 2 | $53,026 | $22,884 |
| English Language and Literature | 9 | $43,026 | — |
| Biology | 75 | $34,126 | $26,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 78 | — | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 21 | — | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | — | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 22 | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 11 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 26 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 14 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 11 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | 8 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 5 | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 34 | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 2 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 10 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 7 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | — | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 57 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | — | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 4 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 3 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 6 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 10 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 60 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 68 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 26 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 11 | — | — |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 49 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 2 | — | — |
| Economics | 7 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 61 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Energy Systems Engineering | — | — | — |
| Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 53 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 22 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 2 | — | — |
| Environmental Design | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 17 | — | — |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | 4 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 3 | — | — |
| Forestry | — | — | — |
| Genetics | 5 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 12 | — | — |
| Gerontology | — | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | — | — | — |
| History | 10 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 8 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 8 | — | — |
| Journalism | 12 | — | — |
| Landscape Architecture | 7 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | 5 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 5 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 3 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 15 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 3 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 11 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 3 | — | — |
| Physics | 5 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | — | — | — |
| Psychology | 14 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 15 | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | — | — | — |
| Real Estate | 10 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 21 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | — | — | — |
| Sociology | 3 | — | — |
| Soil Sciences | 5 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 3 | — | — |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | — | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 8 | — | — |
| Statistics | 19 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 21 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 1 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 13 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 4 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 21 | — | — |
| Veterinary Medicine | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 8 | — | — |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 7 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 6 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (70)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 18 | $76,763 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 19 | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 8 | — | — |
| Agricultural Public Services | 3 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 13 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | 15 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 8 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 1 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 7 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 20 | — | — |
| Biology | 5 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 33 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | — | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 18 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 21 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 8 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 19 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 46 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 39 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 24 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 1 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 4 | — | — |
| Economics | 22 | — | — |
| Education | 17 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 3 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 9 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | — | — |
| Electromechanical Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 68 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 1 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | — | — | — |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | 1 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 9 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 2 | — | — |
| Forestry | — | — | — |
| Genetics | 27 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 4 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 4 | — | — |
| History | 1 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 11 | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | 18 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 15 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 20 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | — | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | 14 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | — | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 14 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 12 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 5 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 3 | — | — |
| Physics | 16 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | — | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | 5 | — | — |
| Soil Sciences | 6 | — | — |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | — | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 3 | — | — |
| Statistics | 39 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | — | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 15 | — | — |
| Veterinary Medicine | — | — | — |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 2 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 3 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | 313 | $100,172 | $150,771 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | — | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (56)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | — | $61,490 | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 1 | $53,521 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | — | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 25 | — | — |
| Agricultural Public Services | 3 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | 2 | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 1 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | — | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 13 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 6 | — | — |
| Computational Science | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 6 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | — | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 4 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 2 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 15 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 1 | — | — |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | — | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 10 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | — | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 3 | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 5 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 3 | — | — |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | 122 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 24 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 1 | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | — | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | — | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | 5 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 2 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 33 | — | — |
| Marketing | 1 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 5 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 9 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | — | — | — |
| Psychology | 4 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 3 | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 4 | — | — |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 8 | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 1 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | — | — | — |
| Sociology | — | — | — |
| Soil Sciences | 28 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 3 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 8 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 1 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Iowa
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | Iowa City | $22,508 | 84% | $70,727 |
| University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls | $16,038 | 93% | $57,187 |
| Drake University | Des Moines | $29,415 | 64% | $78,855 |
| Upper Iowa University | Fayette | $21,119 | 96% | $57,736 |
| Saint Ambrose University | Davenport | $23,689 | 77% | $66,659 |
| Waldorf University | Forest City | $24,003 | 77% | $58,667 |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell | $15,203 | 15% | $72,106 |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center | $25,944 | 68% | $57,576 |
About ISU
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Ames, IA |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 25,367 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 18 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Higher Learning Commission |
| Website | iastate.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is ISU's acceptance rate?
Iowa State University admits 89% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,204 on the SAT.
How much does ISU cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $24,539 a year (tuition and fees: $11,092 in-state, $30,140 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $18,517 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $11,957.
How much do ISU graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $67,568 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 5th of 31 similar colleges in Iowa. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer engineering ($83,366 a year after graduation).
What is ISU's graduation rate?
77% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 88% of first-year students return for a second year.