Quad

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IAQuad's selectivitySelective
Known forBig campusBig endowment per student
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

8 in 10 applicants admitted

U. Iowa admits about 8 in 10 applicants (84%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 37% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

84%

84%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

27,770

Admitted

23,222

Yield

22%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1130–1330

10001600
ACT middle 50%

21–28

1836
Applications +15% since fall 2014 · admit rate 81% → 84%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 22,264 undergrads, where 18% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

22.3K

undergrads · larger than 96% of colleges

Diversity index

0.43

Pell Grant

18%

below the median

First generation

22%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-I FBS · Big Ten ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
Less diverse · index 0.51 → 0.43 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Exercise Science and Kinesiology (8% of graduates). 16 students for every faculty member, more than at 72% of colleges. 88% of faculty are full-time. Spends $15,714 a year on instruction per student.

16 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 72% of colleges

Most popular major

Exercise Science and Kinesiology

8% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Statistics

$123.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

88%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$15.7K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $31,157 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.9K more than the national median. The 76% who received grants paid $21,765 on average; the other 24% paid the full sticker price of $28,596 in-state / $50,559 out-of-state.

19%

$31.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $6.9K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$28,596 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 19% of full price

Federal loans

42%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost steady · −2% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $64,762 ten years after enrolling, more than at 77% of colleges; 72% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.9 years of that salary.

72%

72%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$64.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.5K

≈ $239/month for 10 years

Retention

90%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 70% → 75% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 3% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 15% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 81% to 84%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    −2% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +15%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 81% → 84%

  • Diversity

    Less diverse

    index 0.51 → 0.43

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Iowa State University

88% admit · SAT 1260 · 26.1K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Midwest
Compare side-by-side

Boise State University

87% admit · 17.7K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

87% admit · SAT 1214 · 19.2K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Midwest
Compare side-by-side

University of Missouri-Columbia

78% admit · SAT 1240 · 23.9K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Midwest
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

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    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

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  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
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    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
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    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
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    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

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    State laws on public colleges

    State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since July 1, 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-04

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

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    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

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    University of Iowa (2026)

    University of Iowa · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 153658 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything