Iowa State University
Ames, IA
88.7%
Acceptance Rate
$10,787
Avg Cost (In-State)
$28,881
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
75.4%
Graduation Rate
25,367
Total Enrollment
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Priority)
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$40
Interview
Not required
Essays: No required essay; optional personal statement available
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$53,873
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$63,386
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
75%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering. | $72,900 | $85,938 | 446 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $57,188 | $78,304 | 412 |
| Marketing. | $48,304 | $66,482 | 384 |
| Computer Engineering. | $79,182 | $105,753 | 357 |
| Agricultural Business and Management. | $53,967 | $67,529 | 328 |
| Design and Applied Arts. | $37,565 | $52,671 | 287 |
| Animal Sciences. | $39,567 | $51,644 | 241 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $56,974 | $75,360 | 239 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Iowa State Cardinal Scholarship
$3,500-$5,000/year (OOS)
universityOOS students with 25-29 ACT/1200-1340 SAT + 3.50+ GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Grinnell College Trustee Honor Scholarship
$25,000-$32,000/year
universityTop Grinnell incoming freshmen via competitive process; merit-based at one of the more generous LACs.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Drake Scholarship Foundation
$1,000-$5,000
nationalDrake University-bound HS seniors + Drake-area HS seniors.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Iowa Tuition Grant
Up to $7,000/year
stateIA residents attending IA private 4-year nonprofit colleges with financial need.
Deadline: FAFSA by July 1
Learn more ↗All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship
Up to $9,250/year
stateIA residents with significant financial need + priority to former foster youth, homeless youth.
Deadline: FAFSA by July 1
Learn more ↗Iowa State University Honors Program Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universityIowa State Honors Program admits with academic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Iowa State Cyclone Aide Scholarship
$3,000-$8,000/year
universityIA State Cyclone Aide ambassadors with academic merit + service.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Iowa Honors at Iowa Scholarship
$3,000-$7,500/year
universityTop U of Iowa Honors Program admits with academic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship
Last-dollar at IA CCs in high-demand fields
stateIA HS grads or adults pursuing in-demand certificates/diplomas/degrees at IA community colleges.
Deadline: Apply via FAFSA + school
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 88.7% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
88.66%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
19.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
24.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
65.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
10.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
36.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
87.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
75.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO
88.5% acceptance
Both admit around 89% of applicants, with 26k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
88.5% acceptance
Both admit around 89% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
89% acceptance
Both admit around 89% of applicants, with 17k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 89%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $29k.
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD
98.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (98% vs 89%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL
97.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (98% vs 89%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 89%) — a stretch target if Iowa State University is already on your list.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (42% vs 89%) — a stretch target if Iowa State University is already on your list.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 89%) — a stretch target if Iowa State University is already on your list.
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