Quad
Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA · Public

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 26,073 undergrads, where 19% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

−10% since fall 2014Over time

Race & ethnicity

Diversity index0.41

Diversity index vs. every college0.41
0.41
← 0.00higher than 22% of 1,8930.80 →

Economic access

Pell Grant recipients19%
National median: 34%Below typical
First-generation students20%
National median: 33%Below typical
Pell Grant share vs. every college19%
19%
← 0%higher than 15% of 1,88287% →

Campus size

26,073undergrads
Compared to every college26.1K
26.1K
← 19larger than 97% of 1,89337.8K →

Where first-years come from

5,856 first-time students

43% came from other states and 3.2% from abroad; 54% are from Iowa. More from other states than at 73% of colleges.

  • In-state (Iowa)54%
  • Other states43%
  • Abroad3.2%
  • Not reported0.7%

Top home states

  1. Iowa(home state)54% 3,133
  2. Illinois17% 1,001
  3. Minnesota13% 734
  4. Wisconsin3.4% 201
  5. Nebraska1.7% 100

From 42 states (counting DC) and 35 from U.S. territories.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Share of first-yearsNoneUnder 1%1–3%3–10%10–25%25%+Home state

Students starting college for the first time, by where they lived when admitted. Colleges report it every other fall.

How applicants from each place were admitted →

Transfers in and out

Transferring in, fall 2024

1,252

new transfer students, 18% of new undergraduates. A larger transfer share than at 32% of colleges.

1,206 full-time, 46 part-time.

Going on to another college

17%

of students who entered in fall 2016 had left without a degree and were enrolled at another college 8 years later (about 1,515 students).

Federal data doesn't count students leaving in a given year; this follows one entering class.

Who they are

Almost everyone studies full-time.

Men56%
National median: 44%Above typical

44% women

Another gender: Not reported: the college records other genders but leaves these counts blank when any is under 5, for privacy.

Part-time students2.5%
National median: 7.5%Below typical
Students 25 and older3.4%
National median: 11%Below typical

Degree-seeking undergraduates. Men and women add up to 100% because federal data has colleges count each student of another or unknown gender as a man or a woman.

Campus life

Housing, sports, faith, Greek life, and LGBTQ+ life

Housing for 10,465 students.

Housing

Beds

10,465

About 40 for every 100 undergrads (median college: 59). Can include graduate housing.

First-years

Not required to live on campus

Many colleges still expect it, with exceptions such as for local students.

Meal plans

Offered

Athletics & programs

Athletics

NCAA Division I FBS · Big Twelve Conference

Of the four sports the federal survey asks about, it plays football, basketball, cross country/track.

How the Big Twelve Conference compares

ROTC

Army, Navy, Air Force

Study abroad

Offered

Undergraduate research

A formal program

Calendar

Semesters

Student services

  • Academic and career counseling
  • Help finding a job while enrolled
  • Job placement after graduating
  • On-campus child care for students' children
  • 7% of undergrads registered with disability services· Disability services office

Religious life

Affiliation

No religious affiliation

Campus ministries

Listed among campus activities

Faith communities · 3

  • Catholic 1
  • Christian 1
  • Nonreligious and secular 1

Catholic

FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students)

Campus page

Christian

The Navigators

Nonreligious and secular

Secular Student Alliance

Atheist and Agnostic Society at Iowa State University

Greek life

12chapters

On the national organizations' own chapter lists.

Undergrad men in a fraternity15%
National median: 7.0%Above typical
Undergrad women in a sorority15%
National median: 8.0%Above typical

Among first-years: 19% of men, 20% of women.

  • Fraternity and sorority housing

Councils and chapters

LGBTQ+ life

Support on campus

Center for LGBTQIA+ Student Success

LGBTQ+ center or office · Founded 1992

Policies

  • Gender-inclusive housing
  • Gender-inclusive restrooms listed online
  • Trans-inclusive athletic policy (intramurals and club sports)

Listed by Trans Policy Clearinghouse, read October 2026; not confirmed by the college.

State law for public colleges

Iowa public universities and community colleges may not have offices that promote programming designed around race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation; courses, research, student groups, and health services are exempt.

Iowa Code chapter 261J (Iowa SF 2435 (2024) and HF 856 (2025)), in effect since July 1, 2025. Lists can lag changes on campus, so a center listed above may have changed since the list was read.

Undergraduates of another gender, fall 2024

Not reported: the college records other genders but leaves these counts blank when any is under 5, for privacy.

Gender unknown: 366

First-year applicants of another gender, fall 2024

0 reported. The college may not record other genders.

Colleges record gender so differently that these counts can't be compared between colleges.

Sources:Iowa State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education), Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Iowa State University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;State laws on public colleges, In effect since July 1, 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)