Iowa State University

www.iastate.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,982

3.5% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$17,354

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

89.1%

22,995 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

30,177

90.5% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

75.5%

4,345 Graduates

About

Iowa State University is a higher education institution located in Story County, IA. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Iowa State University were Mechanical Engineering (356 degrees awarded), General Marketing & Marketing Management (331 degrees), and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (250 degrees).

In 2023, 8,096 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Iowa State University. 47.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 52.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,042 degrees), 12.8 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (472 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $8,982, which is $−22,021 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Iowa State University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 6,185 total borrowers.

Photo by SD Dirk

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $8,982, which is $22,022 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $17,354.

In 2023, 73% of undergraduate students attending Iowa State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 46% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$8,982

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Iowa State University was $8,982. The cost of tuition at Iowa State University is $−22,022 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Iowa State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$17,354

2023 Value

13.4%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Iowa State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,354. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Iowa State University grew by 13.4%.

This chart compares the average net price of Iowa State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$9,358

Room and Board

$1,091

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Iowa State University was of $9,358 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 2.97% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,091. The cost of books and supplies increased by 9.1% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Iowa State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

73%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

46%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

73% of undergraduate students at Iowa State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 7.59% with respect to 2022, when 79% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Iowa State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Iowa State University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 6185 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Iowa State University received 22,995 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 4.91% annual growth. Out of those 22,995 applicants, 20,496 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 89.1% acceptance rate.

There were 30,177 students enrolled at Iowa State University in 2023. 10% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Iowa State University has an overall enrollment yield of 28.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

89.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

20,496

Accepted Out of 22,995

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Iowa State University was 89.1% (20,496 admissions from 22,995 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 90.2%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 4.91%, while admissions grew by 3.64%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Iowa State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

10%

Submission Percentage (2023)

615

Scores Submitted (2023)

10% of enrolled first-time students at Iowa State University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Iowa State University had a total enrollment of 30,177 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Iowa State University is 27,309 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,868. This means that 90.5% of students enrolled at Iowa State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Iowa State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 71.3% White, 6.68% Hispanic or Latino, 4.12% Asian, 2.82% Two or More Races, 2.56% Black or African American, 0.142% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0563% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Iowa State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (42%), followed by White Female (35.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (3.59%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (22.9%), followed by White Male (17.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (2.31%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

90.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Iowa State University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30,177 students. The full-time enrollment at Iowa State University is 27,309 and the part-time enrollment is 2,868. This means that 90.5% of students enrolled at Iowa State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Iowa State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

88%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Iowa State University was 88%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Iowa State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Iowa State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
21,522 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
2,015 enrolled students
Asian
1,243 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Iowa State University is 71.3% White, 6.68% Hispanic or Latino, 4.12% Asian, 2.82% Two or More Races, 2.56% Black or African American, 0.142% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0563% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 995 students (3.3%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 388 fewer women than men received degrees from Iowa State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Iowa State University is white (6,042 degrees awarded). There were 12.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (472 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Iowa State University is Mechanical Engineering (356 degrees awarded), followed by General Marketing & Marketing Management (331 degrees) and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (250 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Iowa State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Agriculture (916 degrees awarded), Engineering (1,608 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (128 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Software developers (456,812 people), Other managers (363,861 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (358,689 people), Civil engineers (300,440 people), and Mechanical engineers (214,301 people).

The most specialized majors at Iowa State University in 2023 are Agriculture (916 degrees awarded), Engineering (1,608 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (128 degrees), Applied Sciences (29 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (143 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Agriculture (916 degrees awarded), Engineering (1,608 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (128 degrees), Applied Sciences (29 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (143 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Iowa State University are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (595,847 people), Computer Systems Design (561,426 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (521,237 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (456,533 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (449,169 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Iowa State University.

Most Common (2023)

Mechanical Engineering
356 degrees awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
331 degrees awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
250 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Iowa State University was Mechanical Engineering with 356 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Iowa State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,242

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

3,854

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 4,242 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University, which is 1.1 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,854).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Iowa State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 313 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University in Mechanical Engineering, which is 7.28 times more than the 43 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 209 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University in General Psychology, which is 3.73 times more than the 56 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

51%

100% Completion Time

76%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 51% of students graduating from Iowa State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 76% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 77% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (81.3%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Iowa State University is Female and Asian (81.3% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 5.52% of graduates (240 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
6,042 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
472 degrees awarded
Asian
263 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Iowa State University is white (6,042 degrees awarded). There were 12.8 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (472 degrees).

3.54% of degree recipients (287 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Male
3,099 degrees awarded
White Female
2,943 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
256 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Iowa State University is white male (3,099 degrees awarded). There were 1.05 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (2,943 degrees).

Operations

Iowa State University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.47B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 21.2M (1.45%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Iowa State University had a total salary expenditure of 1.4B. Iowa State University employs 554 Professors, 522 Associate professors and 347 Assistant professors. Most academics at Iowa State University are Male Professor (399), Male Associate professor (281), and Female Associate professor (241).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Iowa State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 931 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 588 employees, and Service with 553 employees.

Endowment

$1.47B

2023 Endowment

4.42%

growth from 2022

Iowa State University has an endowment valued at about $1.47B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Iowa State University grew 4.42% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.04B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Iowa State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$199M - Federal
$14.9M - State
$246k - Local

As of 2023, Iowa State University received $199M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $14.9M from state grants and contracts, and $246k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$619M

2023 Salaries

6.37%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Iowa State University paid a median of $619M in salaries, which represents 44.1% of their overall expenditure ($1.4B) and a 6.37% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.17% decline between 2021 and 2022, and a 0.69% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$168M

Instructional Salaries

1,432

Number of Employees

In 2023, Iowa State University paid a total of $168M to 1,432 employees working as instructors, which represents 27.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

554 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

931 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Iowa State University were Professor with 554 employees, Associate professor with 522 employees, and Assistant professor with 347 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Iowa State University were Business and Financial Operations with 931 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 588 employees, and Service with 553 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Iowa State University was Male Professor with 399 employees, Male Associate professor with 281 employees, and Female Associate professor with 241 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Iowa State University.

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