Iowa State University

www.iastate.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,042

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$16,105

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

2.48%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

88.4%

20,223 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

31,822

88.9% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

74.7%

4,482 Graduates

About

Iowa State University is a higher education institution located in Story County, IA. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Iowa State University were Mechanical Engineering (429 degrees awarded), General Marketing & Marketing Management (328 degrees), and General Finance (254 degrees).

In 2020, 9,104 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Iowa State University. 46.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 53.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,417 degrees), 12.5 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (513 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $8,042, which is $−20,521 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by SD Dirk

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $8,042, which is $−20,521 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,105.

In 2020, 97% of undergraduate students attending Iowa State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 48% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$8,042

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Iowa State University was $8,042. The cost of tuition at Iowa State University is $−20,521 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Iowa State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$16,105

2020 Value

5.99%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Iowa State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,105. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Iowa State University grew by 5.99%.

This chart compares the average net price of Iowa State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$9,149

Room and Board

$1,041

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Iowa State University was of $9,149 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,041. The cost of room and board increased by 4.92% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 0.668% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Iowa State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

97%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

48%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

97% of undergraduate students at Iowa State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 32.9% with respect to 2019, when 73% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Iowa State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2.48%

2018 Default Rate

157

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Iowa State University was 2.48%, which represents 157 out of the 6332 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Iowa State University received 20,223 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 10.8% annual growth. Out of those 20,223 applicants, 17,882 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 88.4% acceptance rate.

There were 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University in 2020, and 17% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Iowa State University has an overall enrollment yield of 28.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

88.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

17,882

Accepted Out of 20,223

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Iowa State University was 88.4% (17,882 admissions from 20,223 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 92.1%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 10.8%, while admissions grew by 6.47%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Iowa State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

17%

Submission Percentage

869

Scores Submitted

17% of enrolled first-time students at Iowa State University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Iowa State University has a total enrollment of 31,822 students. The full-time enrollment at Iowa State University is 28,302 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,520. This means that 88.9% of students enrolled at Iowa State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Iowa State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 72.7% White, 6.13% Hispanic or Latino, 3.74% Asian, 2.72% Black or African American, 2.63% Two or More Races, 0.176% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0754% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Iowa State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (42.9%), followed by White Female (34.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.33%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.9%), followed by White Male (21.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (2.28%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

88.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Iowa State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 31,822 students. The full-time enrollment at Iowa State University is 28,302 and the part-time enrollment is 3,520. This means that 88.9% of students enrolled at Iowa State University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Iowa State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

89%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Iowa State University was 89%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Iowa State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Iowa State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
23,124
Hispanic or Latino
1,951
Asian
1,189

The enrolled student population at Iowa State University is 72.7% White, 6.13% Hispanic or Latino, 3.74% Asian, 2.72% Black or African American, 2.63% Two or More Races, 0.176% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0754% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,182 students (3.71%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 624 fewer women than men received degrees from Iowa State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Iowa State University is white (6,417 degrees awarded). There were 12.5 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (513 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Iowa State University is Mechanical Engineering (429 degrees awarded), followed by General Marketing & Marketing Management (328 degrees) and General Finance (254 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Iowa State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Agriculture (863 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (186 degrees), and Engineering (1,970 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Software developers (355,804 people), Other managers (354,379 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (316,114 people), Civil engineers (250,869 people), and Mechanical engineers (181,624 people).

The most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Agriculture (863 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (186 degrees), Engineering (1,970 degrees), Human Sciences (304 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (131 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Surgeons, Dentists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Chief executives & legislators

Common Industries by Major

Architectural, engineering & related services

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Architectural, engineering & related services (540,269 people), Computer Systems Design (399,239 people), Construction (307,247 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (218,558 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (187,366 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Iowa State University.

Most Common

Mechanical Engineering
429 degree-majorss awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
328 degree-majorss awarded
General Finance
254 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Iowa State University was Mechanical Engineering with 429 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Iowa State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,864

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

4,240

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 4,864 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University, which is 1.15 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,240).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Iowa State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 381 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University in Mechanical Engineering, which is 7.94 times more than the 48 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 201 degrees were awarded to women at Iowa State University in Dietetics, which is 11.2 times more than the 18 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

47%

100% Completion Time

75%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 47% of students graduating from Iowa State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 75% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 76% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (85.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Iowa State University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (85.7% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 5.56% of graduates (249 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
6,417 degrees awarded
Unknown
513 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
475 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Iowa State University is white (6,417 degrees awarded). There were 12.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (513 degrees).

5.63% of degree recipients (513 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Male
3,392 degrees awarded
White Female
3,025 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
268 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Iowa State University is white male (3,392 degrees awarded). There were 1.12 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (3,025 degrees).

Operations

Iowa State University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.03B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $20.2M (1.95%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Iowa State University had a total salary expenditure of $1.28B. Iowa State University employs 563 Professors, 504 Associate professors, and 439 Assistant professors. Most academics at Iowa State University are Male Professors (421), Male Associate professors(284), and Male Assistant professors (249).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Iowa State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 732 employees, Management, with 608 employees, and Service with 545 employees.

Endowment

$1.03B

2020 Endowment

2.14%

decline from 2019

Iowa State University has an endowment valued at about $1.03B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Iowa State University declined 2.14% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $728M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Iowa State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$158M - Federal
$14.4M - State
$205k - Local

As of 2020, Iowa State University received $158M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $14.4M from state grants and contracts, and $205k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$603M

2020 Salaries

2.11%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Iowa State University paid a median of $603M in salaries, which represents 47.1% of their overall expenditure ($1.28B) and a 2.11% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 1.81% growth from 2018 and a 0.359% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$163M

Instructional Salaries

1,519

Number of Employees

In 2020, Iowa State University paid a total of $163M to 1,519 employees working as instructors, which represents 27.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

563 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

732 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Iowa State University were Professor with 563 employees; Associate professor with 504 employees; and Associate professor with 439 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Iowa State University were Business and Financial Operations with 732 employees; Management with 608 employees; and Service with 545 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Iowa State University was Male Professor with 421 employees, Male Associate professor with 284 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 249 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Iowa State University.