83.6%
Acceptance Rate
$11,283
Avg Cost (In-State)
$33,371
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
73.9%
Graduation Rate
22,264
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
March 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$40
Interview
Not required
Essays: No required essays, but optional personal statement accepted
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
$52,696
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$64,762
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
74%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $31,998 | $61,732 | 492 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $59,965 | $88,229 | 305 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $46,264 | $67,605 | 269 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $69,368 | $78,836 | 261 |
| Psychology, General. | $33,057 | $51,031 | 220 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $37,647 | $60,737 | 215 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $40,791 | $61,200 | 189 |
| Marketing. | $52,895 | $81,994 | 187 |
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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Calculate Your Cost at University of Iowa
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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 Hawkeye Marching Band Scholarship
$500-$2,500/yr
universityAudition-based award for Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band members.
Deadline: Spring tryouts
Learn more ↗Iowa Writers' Workshop Teaching-Writing Fellowship
Full tuition + ~$22,000/yr stipend
universityTop admitted Iowa Writers' Workshop MFA students (fiction + poetry); teaching fellowship; ~25 per cohort.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗Iowa Writers' Workshop Provost Fellowship
Full tuition + stipend at Iowa Writers' Workshop
universityTop admits to U Iowa MFA in Creative Writing; merit-based.
Deadline: Through MFA admission
Learn more ↗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 ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 83.6% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
83.62%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Rolling Admissions
85%
acceptance
Rolling admission with priority Nov 1.
Source ↗Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, MA
83.8% acceptance
Both admit around 84% of applicants, with 12k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
84% acceptance
Both admit around 84% of applicants, with 34k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
84% acceptance
Both admit around 84% of applicants, with 22k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 84%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $33k.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
86.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (87% vs 84%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $33k.
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
89.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (90% vs 84%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $33k.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 84%) — a stretch target if University of Iowa 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 84%) — a stretch target if University of Iowa 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 84%) — a stretch target if University of Iowa is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Fargo, ND
95% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (95% vs 84%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD
98.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (98% vs 84%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From IA community colleges
articulation onlyIowa accepts transfers via the Admission Partnership Program (APP), a formal partnership with all Iowa community colleges that guarantees admission and provides academic advising at both institutions. Major feeders include Kirkwood Community College (immediately adjacent in Cedar…
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