Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa · Public · 25,367 undergraduates · iastate.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
88%
of 24,625 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1153 to 1360
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$26,700Est.Estimate
$47,160 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Iowa State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
88% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$47,160
a year in 2027-28, from a $47,160 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1260
Send your score
About 53% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1080, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
- CLT accepted (converted to ACT equivalent for RAI)
Source: First-year Students - Iowa State University · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Mar1Priority deadline · March 1, 2027Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
Who gets in
88%
of applicants were admitted: 21,652 of 24,625 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 12% of them sent SAT scores and 45% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1153 to 1360
Reading and Writing 580 to 680
Math 570 to 690
ACT composite 21 to 28
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160018%
- 1200 to 139948%
- 1000 to 119929%
- 800 to 9994.4%
- 600 to 7990.4%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.76
- 4.031%
- 3.75 to 3.9927%
- 3.50 to 3.7418%
- 3.25 to 3.4911%
- 3.00 to 3.247.3%
- 2.50 to 2.995%
- Below 2.500.6%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$26,700
a year, in state
$47,160
a year, out of state (tuition $30,550)
- Tuition (in state)$10,090
- Fees$1,650
- Food and housing$11,570
- Books and supplies$850
- Transportation and other$2,540
Iowa State University published $25,219 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$11,957
- $30,001 to $48,000$12,869
- $48,001 to $75,000$14,013
- $75,001 to $110,000$19,173
- Over $110,000$22,905
Financial aid
69%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$13,100
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
43%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $8,830 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 2/29
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Iowa State college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship
$500 a year
National Merit · Out-of-state students
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC.
DetailsIowa Resident National Merit Full Tuition Scholarship
Full tuition
National Merit · In-state students
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC. To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, stay a full-time student and stay enrolled every fall and spring semester, remain an Iowa resident, and stay in good academic standing (not on academic probation).
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
37 of 36
Earn credit with a score of 3
15 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,010Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | No Credit | ||
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | Design Studies 1020 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | African American Studies 2010 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | Art History 2800 |
| Art History | 5 | 6 | Art History 2800, 2810 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | Biology 1000 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | Math 1650 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | Math 1650 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | Math 1650, 1660 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 7 | Chemistry 1770, 1780 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | Chinese 1010 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | Chinese 1010, 1020 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | Chinese 1010, 1020, 2010 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | Political Science 1250 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | Computer Science 1270 |
| Computer Science A | 5 | 8 | Computer Science 1270 and 2270 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | Computer Science 1000 |
| Drawing | 4 | 4 | Design Studies 1310 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | English 1500 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | English 1000 or 1500 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | Environmental Studies 1000 |
| European History | 4 | 6 | History 2010, 2020 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | French 1010, 1020 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 16 | French 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | German 1010, 1020 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 16 | German 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | Social Science 1000 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | Italian 1000P |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 16 | Italian 1000P, Italian 2000P |
| Latin | 3 | 8 | Latin 1010, 1020 |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | Latin 1010, 1020 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | Economics 1020 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | Economics 1010 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 4 | Music 2240 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 5 | Physics 1310, 1310L |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 5 | Physics 1310, 1310L |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 5 | Physics 1320, 1320L |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 5 | Physics 1320, 1320L |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 5 | Physics 2320, 2320L |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 5 | Physics 2310, 2310L |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | Math 1430 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | Psychology 1010 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | Spanish 1010, 1020 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 16 | Spanish 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | Spanish 3000* |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | Statistics 1010 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | Statistics 2010 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | Political Science 1110 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | History 2210, 2220 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | History 1000 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
77%
Come back for a second year
88%
Typical earnings
$67,568
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Iowa State University$89,608
- All colleges$97,556
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 66 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Iowa State University. The Iowa State University logo is a trademark of the college.