Getting in
For Fall 2025, 24,625 first-year students applied to Iowa State, 21,652 were admitted and 6,160 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 87.9%.
Source: Iowa State University Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | 5,921 | 5,452 | 92.1% |
| Out-of-state | 15,521 | 14,133 | 91.1% |
| International | 3,183 | 2,067 | 64.9% |
Source: Iowa State University Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major, so it publishes no acceptance rate by college or major; its Common Data Set gives one rate for the whole university.
Source: Iowa State Admissions, Apply (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early plans. Iowa State has no early decision or early action plan. It admits on a rolling basis with no closing date.
Source: Iowa State University Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C14, C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Programs with extra requirements
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
You choose a major when you apply, but Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major: admission rests on your Regent Admission Index (RAI). Two colleges ask for more high school courses:
- College of Engineering. Two years of a single world language, on top of the university's course requirements.
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A third year of social studies and two years of a single world language, on top of the university's course requirements.
The RAI adds your ACT composite (or converted SAT or CLT) times 3, your cumulative GPA times 30, and your years of high school core courses times 5. An RAI of 245 or more with the course requirements brings an automatic offer; below 245, you may still be considered through an individual review.
Source: Iowa State Admissions, First-year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
129 majors across 7 schools. Every bachelor's degree major in Iowa State's official 2026-2027 Catalog, grouped by the college that offers it, with the degree it leads to. Secondary majors, minors, certificates and graduate programs are left out.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences27
- Agricultural and Life Sciences Education (B.S.)
- Agricultural and Rural Policy Studies (B.S.)
- Agricultural Business (B.S.)
- Agricultural Communication (B.S.)
- Agricultural Studies (B.S.)
- Agricultural Systems Technology (B.S.)
- Agronomy (B.S.)
- Animal Science (B.S.)
- Animal Enterprise and Innovation (B.S.)
- Biochemistry (B.S.)
- Biology (B.S.)
- Culinary Food Science (B.S.)
- Dairy Science (B.S.)
- Diet and Exercise (B.S./M.S.)
- Dietetics (B.S.)
- Digital and Precision Agriculture (B.S.)
- Environmental Science (B.S.)
- Food Science (B.S.)
- Forestry (B.S.)
- Genetics (B.S.)
- Global Resource Systems (B.S.)
- Horticulture (B.S.)
- Industrial Technology (B.S.)
- Microbiology (B.S.)
- Nursing (B.S.N.)
- Nutritional Science (B.S.)
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation and Ecology (B.S.)
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Ivy College of Business13
- Accounting (B.S.)
- Actuarial Science (B.S.)
- Business Administration (B.B.A.)
- Business Analytics (B.S.)
- Business Economics (B.S.)
- Entrepreneurship (B.S.)
- Finance (B.S.)
- Healthcare Management (B.S.)
- Human Resource Management (B.S.)
- Management (B.S.)
- Management Information Systems (B.S.)
- Marketing (B.S.)
- Supply Chain Management (B.S.)
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Design11
- Architecture (B.Arch.)
- Art (B.A.)
- Art (B.F.A.)
- Art History (B.A.)
- Game Design (B.S.)
- Graphic Design (B.F.A.)
- Illustration (B.F.A.)
- Industrial Design (B.I.D.)
- Interior Design (B.F.A.)
- Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.)
- Urban and Regional Planning (B.S.)
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Engineering15
- Aerospace Engineering (B.S.)
- Agricultural Engineering (B.S.)
- Biological Systems Engineering (B.S.)
- Biomedical Engineering (B.S.)
- Chemical Engineering (B.S.)
- Civil Engineering (B.S.)
- Computer Engineering (B.S.)
- Construction Engineering (B.S.)
- Cyber Security Engineering (B.S.)
- Electrical Engineering (B.S.)
- Environmental Engineering (B.S.)
- Industrial Engineering (B.S.)
- Materials Engineering (B.S.)
- Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)
- Software Engineering (B.S.)
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Health and Human Sciences19
- Athletic Training (B.S./M.A.TR.)A 3+2 program: three years of pre-athletic training, then the two-year master's; the B.S. comes only on finishing both.
- Culinary Food Science (B.S.)
- Diet and Exercise (B.S./M.S.)
- Dietetics (B.S.)
- Early Childcare Education and Programming (B.S.)
- Early Childhood Education (B.S.)
- Education Studies (B.S.)
- Elementary Education (B.S.)
- Event Management (B.S.)
- Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies (B.S.)
- Fashion Design and Merchandising (B.S.)
- Financial Counseling and Planning (B.S.)
- Food Science (B.S.)
- Hospitality Management (B.S.)
- Human Development and Family Studies (B.S.)
- Kinesiology and Health (B.S.)
- Nursing, Accelerated (B.S.N.)For students who already hold a bachelor's degree.
- Nursing (B.S.N.)
- Nutritional Science (B.S.)
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences43
- Advertising (B.A.)
- Anthropology (B.A., B.S.)
- Biochemistry (B.S.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (B.S.)
- Biology (B.S.)
- Chemistry (B.A., B.S.)
- Climate Science (B.S.)
- Communication Studies (B.A.)
- Computer Science (B.A., B.S.)
- Criminal Justice (B.A.)
- Data Science (B.S.)
- Digital Storytelling (B.A.)
- Earth Science Education and Studies (B.A.)
- Earth Science (B.S.)
- Economics (B.S.)
- English (B.A., B.S.)
- Environmental Science (B.S.)
- Genetics (B.S.)
- Geology (B.S.)
- History (B.A., B.S.)
- Integrated Health Sciences (B.S.)
- Journalism and Mass Communication (B.S.)
- Liberal Studies (B.L.S.)A general studies degree.
- Linguistics (B.A.)
- Mathematics (B.S.)
- Meteorology (B.S.)
- Music (B.A., B.Mus.)
- Philosophy (B.A.)
- Physics (B.S.)
- Political Science (B.A.)
- Professional Studies (B.L.S.)A general studies degree.
- Psychology (B.A., B.S.)
- Public Relations (B.S.)
- Religious Studies (B.A.)
- Scientific Illustration and Visualization (B.A.)
- Sociology (B.A., B.S.)
- Software Engineering (B.S.)
- Sports Media and Communication (B.A.)
- Statistics (B.S.)
- Technical Communication (B.S.)
- Theatre (B.A.)
- Women's and Gender Studies (B.A., B.S.)
- World Languages and Cultures (B.A.)French, German or Spanish.
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Interdisciplinary Programs1
- Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A., B.S.)Includes Classical Studies and U.S. Latino/a Studies.
Source: Iowa State University 2026-2027 Catalog, Undergraduate Majors (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merit scholarship priority date | March 1 | not published | No |
| Rolling admission | No closing date | not published | No |
Iowa State asks you to apply for admission and merit scholarships in your senior year, with March 1 as its merit scholarship priority date, and to confirm by May 1 for priority housing. Its admissions pages publish no application deadline or decision dates; the Common Data Set reports no closing date and decisions sent on a rolling basis, starting 2 days after an application arrives.
Source: Iowa State Admissions, First-Year Checklist (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
Iowa State is test-optional for first-year applicants. You choose whether to self-report an ACT, SAT or CLT score. Without a score, admission is based on your high school GPA and the core course requirements. With one, an SAT or CLT score is converted to its ACT equivalent for the RAI.
Source: Iowa State Admissions, First-year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as not required for fall 2027 applicants, but considered if submitted, with scores due by August 1.
Source: Iowa State University Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked Iowa State's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: Iowa State Admissions, First-year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at Iowa State, 2026-2027:
| Item | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $9,816 | $29,864 |
| Required fees | $1,586 | $1,586 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $11,162 | $11,162 |
| Books, course materials and supplies | $800 | $800 |
| Personal expenses | $2,450 | $2,450 |
| Transportation | $450 | $900 |
| Total | $26,264 | $46,762 |
For a full-time, dependent undergraduate living on campus, fall and spring. Iowa State calls these estimates, subject to change, and lists the items without a total; the totals are their sums. Sophomores, juniors and seniors in some colleges pay a higher tuition rate.
Source: Iowa State Office of Student Financial Aid, Cost of Attendance: Undergraduate Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $10,582 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $11,506 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $15,463 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,605 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,496 |
| All incomes | $18,589 |
What first-year, full-time, in-state students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from Iowa State's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to Iowa State University on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE · Public87.8% admitted$17,747 average net price
Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS · Public87.5% admitted$19,406 average net price
University of IowaIowa City, IA · Public79.9% admitted$22,531 average net price
University of KansasLawrence, KS · Public92.6% admitted$18,059 average net price
University of MissouriColumbia, MO · Public78.5% admitted$20,268 average net price
Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.