Iowa State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Iowa State University · Public · Ames, IA · 25,332 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Iowa State admitted 89.1% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 82.5% in 2013. Iowa residents pay $11,092 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $30,140.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 82.5% | 16,539 | 13,648 |
| 2014 | 86.9% | 18,399 | 15,990 |
| 2015 | 87.2% | 19,164 | 16,702 |
| 2016 | 87.5% | 19,433 | 17,002 |
| 2017 | 89.3% | 19,262 | 17,208 |
| 2018 | 90.6% | 18,855 | 17,082 |
| 2019 | 92.1% | 18,246 | 16,796 |
| 2020 | 88.4% | 20,223 | 17,882 |
| 2021 | 91.1% | 20,357 | 18,550 |
| 2022 | 90.2% | 21,919 | 19,776 |
| 2023 | 89.1% | 22,995 | 20,496 |
Applications went from 16,539 in fall 2013 to 22,995 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $11,957 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,869 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,013 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,173 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,905 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $11,092 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $30,140 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $24,539 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $18,517 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 10% submitted the SAT, 51% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa IA | 84.7% | $11,622 in-state |
| Illinois State IL | 89.0% | $16,152 in-state |
| George Mason VA | 88.8% | $14,316 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Iowa State took in 20,496 students from 22,995 applications for fall 2023, an admit rate of 89.1%.1 The 2013 rate was 82.5%, which puts the change at 6.6 percentage points higher.1 It peaked at 92.1% in 2019 and declined in just 3 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 39% and admitted students grew 50% across the span.1
Test scores are optional, and the middle 50% of ACT composites ran from 21 to 28 in 2023, submitted by 51% of entrants.1
Iowa residents pay $11,092 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and out-of-state students pay $30,140.2 The resident price matches the $11,092 median of the 3 public bachelor's colleges in Iowa.2 Average net price in 2024-25 was $11,957 for families earning $0 to $30,000 and $19,173 for the $75,001 to $110,000 band.2 Above $110,000 it was $22,905.2
Of 2019 entrants, 77% finished within 6 years, well above the Iowa median of 59% across 29 bachelor's colleges.2 Median earnings were $67,568 at 10 years after entry, and graduating borrowers held median federal debt of $21,250.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 22,995 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 20,496 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 5,859 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 25,332 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 550 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 660 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 560 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 690 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 21 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 10% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 51% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $11,092 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $30,140 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $24,539 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $18,517 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $11,957 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,869 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,013 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,173 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $22,905 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 77% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 88% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 23% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $67,568 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $21,250 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Iowa (N = 3) | $11,092 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Iowa (N = 29) | 59% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Iowa State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page