Acceptance rate
88.7%
Iowa State University
Admission Chances & Acceptance Rate
Located in Ames, Iowa, this public university enrolls nearly 30,000 students and admits about 89% of applicants. It's particularly strong in engineering, business, and agriculture programs. The school has an 88% first-year retention rate and 75% six-year graduation rate. Graduates earn a median of $63,386 ten years after enrollment, with typical federal debt around $22,869.
Enrollment
29,969
Test policy
optional
Grad rate (6-yr)
75%
Will you get into Iowa State University?
Enter your GPA, SAT & ACT and get your personal admission probability — free, no credit card.
Calculate my chances →◴ Admitted Student Profile
The middle 50% of admitted students (25th–75th percentile), self-reported by the school.
SAT (combined)
1120 – 1360
ACT (composite)
21 – 28
GPA
Not published
$ What You'll Actually Pay
Average yearly net price after grants & scholarships, by family income (federal cohort averages — not a personal quote).
$0–30k
$10,582
family income
$30–48k
$11,506
family income
$48–75k
$15,463
family income
$75–110k
$19,605
family income
$110k+
$22,496
family income
19% receive Pell grants
43% take federal loans
✦ Strongest Programs
The fields Iowa State University graduates the most students in — a signal of depth, faculty, and alumni networks.
Engineering
21.3%
Business & Marketing
17.2%
Agriculture
10.8%
Biology
6.1%
Visual & Performing Arts
4.6%
↗ Outcomes
School-level averages across all students who enrolled (College Scorecard). Not a personal forecast.
Earnings (10 yr)
$63,386
Earnings (6 yr)
$53,873
Completion
75%
Retention
88%
Median debt
$22,869
? Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Iowa State University?
Iowa State University has an acceptance rate of 88.7%, making it relatively accessible.
What SAT score do you need for Iowa State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1120 and 1360 on the SAT. The ACT range is 21–28.
How much does Iowa State University actually cost?
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for the lowest income band is $10,582 per year, rising to $22,496 for families earning $110k+. These are federal cohort averages, not a personal quote.
What are my chances of getting into Iowa State University?
Your odds depend on how your GPA and test scores compare to admitted students, plus factors like major, residency, and early decision. UniversityOdds calculates a personalized probability for free — enter your stats to see yours.
See your real odds at Iowa State University and ~50 top schools
UniversityOdds compares your profile to real admissions data — and tells you honestly when it's guessing.
Get my free odds →Data sourced from IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Acceptance probabilities calculated by UniversityOdds are estimates based on published academic data and are not a guarantee of admission. Net price figures are federal cohort averages, not personalized quotes — run the school's official net price calculator for your own estimate.