Iowa State University

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2019 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,042

3.9% growth from 2018

2019 Average Net Price

$15,195

After Financial Aid

2017 Student Loan

3.36%

Default Rate

2019 Acceptance Rate

92.1%

18,246 Applicants

2019 Enrolled Students

33,372

89.2% Full-Time

2018 Graduation Rate

74.7%

3,984 Graduates

About

Iowa State University is a higher education institution located in Story County, IA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Iowa State University were Mechanical Engineering (473 degrees awarded), General Marketing & Marketing Management (348 degrees), and General Finance (269 degrees).

In 2019, 9,311 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Iowa State University. 46.2% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 53.8% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,711 degrees), 13.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (491 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $8,042, which is $-20,458 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

Photo by SD Dirk

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $8,042, which is $-20,458 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $15,195.

In 2019, 73% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 48% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$8,042

2019 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2019, the cost of tuition at Iowa State University was $8,042. The cost of tuition at Iowa State University is $-20,458 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,500).

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

Average Net Price

$15,195

2019 Value

3.77%

1 Year Growth

In 2019 Iowa State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $15,195. Between 2018 and 2019, the average net price of Iowa State University grew by 3.77%.

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

$8,720

Room and Board

$1,048

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Iowa State University was of $8,720 in 2019. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,048. The cost of room and board increased by 2.04% between 2018 and 2019. The cost of books and supplies increased by 5.43% during the same period.

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

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

73%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

48%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

73% of undergraduate students at Iowa State University received grants or loans in 2019. This represents a growth of 2.82% with respect to 2018, when 71% 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.

3.36%

2017 Default Rate

213

Number of Defaults

In 2017 the default rate for borrower's at Iowa State University was 3.36%, which represents 213 out of the 6331 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 18,246 undergraduate applications in 2019, which represents a 3.23% annual decline. Out of those 18,246 applicants, 16,796 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 92.1% acceptance rate.

There were 33,372 students enrolled at Iowa State University in 2019, and 17% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Iowa State University has an overall enrollment yield of 33.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

92.1%

Acceptance Rate in 2019

16,796

Accepted Out of 18,246

In 2019, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Iowa State University was 92.1% (16,796 admissions from 18,246 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2018, which was 90.6%. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of applicants declined by -3.23%, while admissions declined by -1.67%.

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

SAT Scores

17%

Submission Percentage

965

Scores Submitted

17% of enrolled first-time students at Iowa State University in 2019 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 33,372 students. The full-time enrollment at Iowa State University is 29,781 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,591. This means that 89.2% of students enrolled at Iowa State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Iowa State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 71.4% White, 5.94% Hispanic or Latino, 3.44% Asian, 2.55% Black or African American, 2.39% Two or More Races, 0.198% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0719% 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 (32.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.19%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (27%), followed by White Male (20%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (2.31%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

89.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Iowa State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 33,372 students. The full-time enrollment at Iowa State University is 29,781 and the part-time enrollment is 3,591. This means that 89.2% of students enrolled at Iowa State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.6% 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

87%

2019 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 87%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), 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
23,831
Hispanic or Latino
1,982
Asian
1,149

The enrolled student population at Iowa State University is 71.4% White, 5.94% Hispanic or Latino, 3.44% Asian, 2.55% Black or African American, 2.39% Two or More Races, 0.198% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0719% 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 50.3% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.48% 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, 1,473 students (4.41%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2019, 713 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 (6,711 degrees awarded). There were 13.7 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (491 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Iowa State University is Mechanical Engineering (473 degrees awarded), followed by General Marketing & Marketing Management (348 degrees) and General Finance (269 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 (934 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (191 degrees), and Engineering (2,051 degrees).

Workforce

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 (408,447 people), Other managers (337,764 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (331,363 people), Civil engineers (272,294 people), and Mechanical engineers (201,420 people).

The most specialized majors at Iowa State University are Agriculture (934 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (191 degrees), Engineering (2,051 degrees), Human Sciences (337 degrees), and Natural Resources & Conservation (124 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, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Diagnostic medical sonographers

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 (555,599 people), Computer Systems Design (418,440 people), Construction (326,850 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (220,312 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (193,046 people).

Degrees

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
473 degree-majorss awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
348 degree-majorss awarded
General Finance
269 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Iowa State University was Mechanical Engineering with 473 degrees awarded.

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

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

5,012

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2019

4,299

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2019

In 2019, 5,012 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University, which is 1.17 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,299).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2019, 425 degrees were awarded to men at Iowa State University in Mechanical Engineering, which is 8.85 times more than the 48 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2019, 195 degrees were awarded to women at Iowa State University in Dietetics, which is 15 times more than the 13 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

45%

100% Completion Time

73%

150% Completion Time

In 2019, 45% of students graduating from Iowa State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 73% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 75% 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.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (81.8%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Iowa State University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (81.8% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (69.1%).

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, 2.71% of graduates (108 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
6,711 degrees awarded
Unknown
491 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
417 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Iowa State University is white (6,711 degrees awarded). There were 13.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, unknown (491 degrees).

5.27% of degree recipients (491 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Male
3,539 degrees awarded
White Female
3,172 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
219 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Iowa State University is white male (3,539 degrees awarded). There were 1.12 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (3,172 degrees).

Operations

Iowa State University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.06B, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $33M (3.13%), compared to the 4.24% average return ($13.2M on $311M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2019, Iowa State University had a total salary expenditure of $1.27B. Iowa State University employs 536 Professors, 491 Associate professors, and 488 Assistant professors. Most academics at Iowa State University are Male Professors (415), Male Associate professors(277), and Male Assistant professors (262).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Iowa State University are: Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 1280 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 573 employees, and Service with 529 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$1.06B

2019 Endowment

3.91%

growth from 2018

Iowa State University has an endowment valued at about $1.06B, as of the end of the 2019 fiscal year. The endowment of Iowa State University grew 3.91% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $746M 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

$159M - Federal
$16.4M - State
$54.3k - Local

As of 2019, Iowa State University received $159M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $16.4M from state grants and contracts, and $54.3k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$590M

2019 Salaries

1.81%

growth from 2018

In 2019, Iowa State University paid a median of $590M in salaries, which represents 46.6% of their overall expenditure ($1.27B) and a 1.81% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 0.359% growth from 2017 and a 3.93% growth from 2016.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.4% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$165M

Instructional Salaries

1,538

Number of Employees

In 2019, Iowa State University paid a total of $165M to 1,538 employees working as instructors, which represents 28% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71.1M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

536 Employees

Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1280 Employees

In 2019, the most common positions for instructional staff at Iowa State University were Professor with 536 employees; Associate professor with 491 employees; and Associate professor with 488 employees.

In 2019, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Iowa State University were Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 1,280 employees; Computer, Engineering, and Science with 573 employees; and Service with 529 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2019, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Iowa State University was Male Professor with 415 employees, Male Associate professor with 277 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 262 employees.

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

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