Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Iowa State University is a public national university located in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State University is very inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Iowa State University is in the top 25% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $57,351 10 years after enrolling, 4th in Iowa, and in the top 25% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Iowa State University bachelor students earn 3% more than the national average. Iowa State University is ranked 1st in Iowa.
Iowa State University’s median net annual cost of $16,002 and average years to graduate of 4.6 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Iowa State University sorted by number of graduates - Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Business Administration, Marketing, Health & Fitness, Design & Applied Arts - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$16,002
Average years to graduate
4.6
Aerospace Engineering
Rank: #28
Economic score: 1.59
Accounting
Rank: #141
Economic score: 2.03
Finance
Rank: #130
Economic score: 2.46
Agricultural Bus. and Mgmt.
Rank: #24
Economic score: 2.68
Advertising & PR
Rank: #40
Economic score: 3.84
Apparel and Textiles
Rank: #15
Economic score: 4.07
Biology
Rank: #139
Economic score: 4.23
Animal Sciences.
Rank: #11
Economic score: 4.52
Education
Rank: #130
Economic score: 4.85
Psychology
Rank: #346
Economic score: 7.47
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 6 graduate programs at Iowa State University - Plant Sciences, Biology, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Design & Applied Arts, Urban/community planning - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Education
Rank: #56
Economic score: 0.41
English Language & Lit
Rank: -
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
Economic score: 0.89
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.6 years. 74% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Iowa State University is 9% higher than the state average, and 6% above the average for all national universities in the country.
At Iowa State University, Pell Grant recipients represent 20% of the measured graduating class, 15% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Iowa State University graduates within 4.6 years.
Iowa State University is in the bottom 25% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Iowa State University’s economic mobility score of 15.87 is calculated by adjusting the 1.9 economic score of lower-income students by the 20% pell grant recipients within the student body. Iowa State University’s EMS of 15.87 ranks in the top 50% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 50%
The average Title IV recipient at Iowa State University pays $16,002 a year, $5,938 less than the $21,940 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $16,002
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Iowa State University, 87% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $16,002 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 48% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $7,684. This is 6% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,202
Pell grants
$4,736
State grants
$3,930
Institutional grants
$7,429
Iowa State University offers 1 hybrid bachelor program. At the master’s level Iowa State University offers 15 programs, one of which is held exclusively online. We use the IPEDS July '20 — July '21 Distance Education report to determine which programs are online. EarningsPlus data is provided when available.
Online programs
16
Hybrid programs
15
Percentage of programs online
7%
Iowa State University's very inclusive admissions are indicated by their 91% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 20,357 applicants, of which 18,550 were admitted and 5,387 enrolled. Iowa State University has a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed as they arrive until all spaces are filled.
Full time
98%
83%
Female
46%
59%
First time
72%
59%
In-state
60%
68%
1st generation
20%
35%
White
77%
52%
Black
3%
14%
Hispanic
7%
15%
Asian
4%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
10%
12%